Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded to Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai
The laureates were honored for discovering autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis, a breakthrough that helps explain how homochirality emerges.
- On Wednesday, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai "for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis."
- The laureates solved a century-old chemical mystery by determining how homochirality emerges spontaneously. "The chemical reactions they have developed are spectacular," said Heiner Linke, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry.
- Kagan is affiliated with Université Paris-Sud in France, while Soai, 95, is affiliated with the Tokyo University of Science. The pair will share a 12 million Swedish kronor award comprising a diploma, medal, and cash prize.
- This announcement marks the third of six Nobel awards this year, following recognition for physiology or medicine and physics earlier this week. Literature, peace, and economic sciences awards continue through Monday.
- These discoveries enable chemists to drive reactions leading to homochirality, providing a foundation to address global challenges like climate change. The Academy's recognition reflects the fundamental significance of asymmetric synthesis in modern chemistry.
390 Articles
390 Articles
In Stockholm, Nobel Prize winners in chemistry were awarded the award by Henri Kagan of France and Kenso Soai of Japan in 2026, and awarded the Nobel Prize for "discovering non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis".
Nobel in Chemistry Goes to Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai
Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for their efforts to solve mysterious mirror images in chemical molecles. "Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai have provided a solution to a chemical mystery that is over a century old: how homochirality can emerge spontaneously," said Heiner...
Frenchman Henri Kagan and Japanese Kenso Soai awarded Nobel Prize in Chemistry for solving a 100-year-old chemical puzzle
French-Japanese duo wins chemistry Nobel for solving molecular 'mystery'
France's Henri Kagan and Japan's Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for solving the mystery of why only one form of certain molecules appears in nature, a discovery decisive for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals.
Chemistry: A Frenchman and a Japanese receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Their work has been decisive for the way medicines are…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 39% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
