French and Japanese Scientists Win 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai have been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discoveries regarding non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.

Key points

• The laureates were recognized by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for providing a solution to a chemical mystery concerning homochirality.
• Henri Kagan is a 95-year-old professor affiliated with Université Paris-Saclay, and Kenso Soai conducts research at the Tokyo University of Science.
• Their breakthroughs have played a decisive role for chemists developing reactions used to manufacture pharmaceuticals.

Why it matters

This scientific achievement resolves a century-old chemical mystery regarding the spontaneous emergence of molecular asymmetry, significantly aiding pharmaceutical manufacturing and organic chemistry.