Nobel chemistry prize goes to pair who solved mystery of 'mirror image' molecules

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1. 1h ago

   Nobel Chemistry Prize Awarded for Mirror-Image Molecule Breakthrough

   Scientists Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for solving a century-old mystery regarding mirror-image molecules. Announced in Stockholm by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the French-Japanese duo was jointly honored for their discoveries in asymmetric organic synthesis and chiral chemistry. Their work allows researchers to make left- and right-handed molecules at will, untangling molecular asymmetry that dates back to chemical questions from the 1800s and impacting modern pharmaceuticals.

   Why it matters

   Chiral molecules exist in left- and right-handed forms that can have vastly different biological effects, a puzzle that perplexed chemists for generations. Solving how to control and produce these specific mirror-image structures opens new pathways in modern drug development and chemical manufacturing. The award marks a major recognition of foundational organic chemistry advances.

   What is confirmed

   • Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
   • The award was given for solving a century-old mystery of molecular asymmetry and mirror-image molecules.
   • The announcement was made by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm.
   • The laureates were jointly recognized for discoveries in asymmetric organic synthesis.

   What to watch next

   • Further announcements regarding remaining 2026 Nobel Prize categories.
   Sources used for this update (35)

   1. time.com — Nobel Prizes: What to Know About 2026's Winners - TIME
   2. BBC — Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Kagan and Soai
   3. The New York Times — Nobel Prize in Chemistry Is Awarded to Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai
   4. The Guardian — Nobel prize in chemistry awarded for work on mirror-image molecules
   5. Reuters — Nobel chemistry prize goes to pair who solved mystery of 'mirror image' molecules
   6. IFLScience — Nobel Prize in Chemistry Goes To Researchers Who Discovered How To Make "Left- And Right-Handed" Molecules At Will
   7. Chemical & Engineering News — Chemistry Nobel awarded for chiral chemistry advances
   8. Phys.org — Sleep, appetite, gene-editing experts contend for Nobel chemistry prize
   9. PBS — WATCH LIVE: Winner of the 2026 Nobel Prize in chemistry is …
   10. Anchorage Daily News — Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded to Kagan and Soai for untangling mirror images in molecules
   11. Yahoo — From 1800s to modern pharma: a Nobel-winning chemistry quest
   12. KCRA — Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded to scientists who unraveled mystery of mirror molecules
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