Belgian physicist Professor Francis Halzen has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his pioneering work on an observatory that detects particles from space.
The award recognises Halzen’s leadership of a neutrino telescope – often described as a “ghost‑particle” detector – which captures high‑energy neutrinos that travel across the cosmos and pass through Earth with almost no interaction.
Located at the South Pole, the observatory uses a cubic kilometre of clear Antarctic ice as a detection medium, allowing scientists to trace the faint flashes of light produced when neutrinos occasionally collide with atomic nuclei.
Halzen’s contributions to the design, construction and data analysis of the facility have opened a new window on the universe, complementing traditional optical and radio telescopes by providing direct insight into the most energetic astrophysical events.
The Nobel Committee highlighted the breakthrough as a milestone in neutrino astronomy, noting its potential to reveal the origins of cosmic rays and to deepen our understanding of fundamental particle physics.
<small>Source: BBC News — read the original story there.</small>
