The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026 has been awarded to Henri B. Kagan of Paris-Sud University in France and Kensō Soai of Tokyo University of Science in Japan. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the award on Wednesday, granting the two scientists a prize of 12 million Swedish kronor, which is approximately $1.2 million.
The chemists were recognized for the discovery of nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. Their work solved a 100-year-old chemical mystery by showing how chemical reactions can produce one of two mirror image forms of a molecule.
These groundbreaking discoveries relate to the origin of chirality and the chemistry of life. By untangling the mystery of asymmetric molecules, Kagan and Soai provided insights that have transformed modern medicine and helped advance the development of countless pharmaceuticals.