In Stockholm, Sweden, on October 7, 2026, Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai received the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Their portraits appeared on screen at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences during the announcement.
The two scientists were recognized for their groundbreaking discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. “Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai have provided a solution to a chemical mystery over a century old: how homochirality can emerge spontaneously,” said Heiner Linke, the chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, in a news release. He also noted, “The chemical reactions they have developed are spectacular.”
The committee highlighted the significance of their work for chemists creating reactions crucial to pharmaceutical manufacturing. Kagan, born in France, is associated with Université Paris-Sud in Orsay, France. Soai, at 95 years old, is connected to the Tokyo University of Science in Japan. The “Soai reaction” is named after Soai’s own experiment.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences made the announcement in Stockholm. Last year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to three scientists who developed new molecular structures capable of trapping large amounts of gas. This innovation has implications for tackling greenhouse gases and capturing moisture from dry environments.
This week’s Nobel Prizes started with medicine on Monday, recognizing three scientists for a tool using light to explore the brain’s functions. On Tuesday, the physics prize acknowledged efforts in understanding a rare group of neutrinos. The literature prize announcement is expected on Thursday, followed by the peace prize on Friday. The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences will be revealed on Monday.
This year’s Nobel Prize comes with a financial award of 12 million Swedish kronor, approximately $1.2 million, which can be shared by individuals, groups, or organizations.
Leave a Reply