Japan's Kenso Soai and France's Henri Kagan win Nobel chemistry prize

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to scientists Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai on Wednesday "for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis," the organization announcing the accolade reported. The prestigious chemistry honor, traditionally the third award bestowed during Nobel week, came after the Nobel prizes for medicine and physics, announced on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

In explaining the significance of the work, Nobel Committee for Chemistry Chair Heiner Linke stated that the prize recognized fundamental aspects of chemistry and the various forms in which molecules can exist. Using the analogy of hands being mirror images of each other, Linke highlighted that such molecules are called chiral, a term derived from the Greek word for hand. He emphasized that this year's prize centered on foundational chemistry, underscoring the importance of understanding the diverse molecular world.