The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced on October 7 that the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to two scientists: Henri Kagan, 95, of France, and Kenso Soai, 76, of Japan.
The two were honored "for discoveries concerning nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis." Their work showed that chemical reactions can be steered to favor the production of a single mirror-image form of a molecule — a key factor for chemists designing reactions for pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Many molecules essential to life exist in two forms that are mirror images of each other, like a left hand and a right hand. Yet living organisms almost exclusively use only one form, a phenomenon known as homochirality — from the Greek word for "hand" — that has puzzled chemists for more than a century.
"The left-handed form of a drug may have one effect, while the right-handed form may have another, so we need methods to prepare them selectively," said Peter Somfai, a member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry.
"In developing such methods, the discoveries of this year's laureates play an important role. They have provided powerful tools for that purpose," Somfai said.
Heiner Linke, the committee's chairman, said the two scientists had offered "a solution to a chemical mystery that has persisted for more than a century: how homochirality could arise naturally," describing the chemical reactions they developed as "spectacular."
'The Most Exciting Day'
Speaking by phone at the prize announcement news conference, Soai said he was out shopping when he received the news.
"This is the most exciting day of my life. I am very happy to share this prize with Professor Henri Kagan," he added.
Last year, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to scientists Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi for developing so-called metal-organic frameworks — molecular structures that can help address challenges such as climate change and freshwater shortages.
The chemistry prize is always the third to be announced during Nobel week, after the medicine and physics awards. The Nobel Prize in Literature will be announced on Thursday, while the Peace Prize is expected on Friday.
Established under the will of Swedish inventor and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel, the prizes for achievements in science, literature and peace have been awarded since 1901, with a few interruptions mainly due to the world wars.
Nobel, himself a chemist, amassed a vast fortune in the 19th century from inventions tied largely to warfare, most notably the explosive dynamite. The economics prize is a later addition, funded by Sweden's central bank.
