Belgian-born Physicist Wins Nobel Prize for Neutrino Detection
‘Ghost particles’ from space telescope wins physics Nobel
Prof. Francis Halzen, a Belgian-born physicist now at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, has won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics for his pioneering work on the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole.
Halzen led the development of IceCube, which uses a cubic kilometer of Antarctic ice equipped with light sensors to detect neutrinos—subatomic particles that carry information about violent, high-energy cosmic processes. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences recognized that "his vision and scientific leadership have been fundamental for the IceCube Neutrino Observatory."
Halzen first conceived the idea of detecting neutrinos at the South Pole in 1988. At a news conference, he expressed surprise at the project's success, noting that few colleagues initially believed it would work. Halzen is now a U.S. citizen.
