The 2026 Nobel Prize laureates have been announced: who are the 10 winners?

The 2026 Nobel Prize winners were announced between October 5 and 12. This year, laureates were named in the fields of medicine, physics, chemistry, literature, peace, and economics. They are being honored for their contributions to the advancement of science, literature, and international law. The prize amount for each category is 12 million Swedish kronor, or approximately 1.2 million US dollars.

In the field of medicine, Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel were awarded for their discoveries in optogenetics, a field that enables the control of nerve cells using light. In physics, Francis Halzen was recognized for his contributions to the detection of high-energy neutrinos and the development of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. The chemistry prize was awarded to Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai for their research in organic synthesis, which allows for the control of molecular forms that are mirror images of one another. In literature, Canadian poet and writer Anne Carson was named the laureate for her work blending classical traditions with contemporary literature. South African-born lawyer Navi Pillay was selected for the Peace Prize in recognition of her work promoting international law and peace. The prize in economics will be awarded to American economists Robert Hall and Michael Woodford for developing the microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilization.

For context, the Nobel Prize was established in accordance with the will of the Swedish scientist and inventor Alfred Nobel. In 1895, he bequeathed the bulk of his fortune to honor individuals who had conferred the greatest benefit on mankind. The first prizes were awarded in 1901. The core categories are Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace. The prize in economics was established in 1968 by the Central Bank of Sweden. In addition to a monetary award, laureates receive a gold medal and a diploma. The award ceremonies take place annually on December 10—the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death—in Stockholm and Oslo.