'Ghost particles' from space telescope wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics

Key Points:

• Belgian-born physicist Prof Francis Halzen won the Nobel Prize in Physics for leading the development of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, which detects high-energy neutrinos from space using a cubic kilometre of Antarctic ice embedded with light sensors.
• IceCube identifies rare interactions of neutrinos with ice, producing flashes of light that help trace their cosmic origins and reveal violent processes in distant galaxies beyond the reach of ordinary telescopes.
• Halzen first proposed the idea of a South Pole neutrino detector in 1988, and his vision and leadership were crucial in realizing this large-scale observatory, enabling a new form of astronomy based on neutrino detection.
• Neutrinos are elusive particles that rarely interact with matter and are unaffected by magnetic fields, allowing them to carry unaltered information from extreme cosmic events such as exploding stars and environments around black holes.
• Experts highlight that IceCube's discoveries have opened a unique window into some of the universe's most energetic and mysterious phenomena, advancing our understanding of fundamental astrophysical processes.