The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai on Wednesday, recognizing their pivotal discoveries regarding non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.
The laureates will receive a tailored diploma, a commemorative medal, and a cash prize of 12 million Swedish kronor (approximately €1 million or $1.2 million). The announcement adds to a series of recent Nobel revelations, following the Medicine prize awarded on Monday to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel for their pioneering optogenetics research, and the Physics prize given on Tuesday to Belgian astrophysicist Francis Halzen for his work on neutrinos.
Their findings build upon the legacy of the previous year’s chemistry award, which honored Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar Yaghi for developing molecular structures capable of trapping large quantities of gas—a discovery with significant implications for addressing climate change.
Upcoming announcements include the Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday, the Peace Prize on Friday, and the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences on Monday. All ceremonies are broadcast live by the Nobel Prize organization.
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