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2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry announcement

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2026-10-09 13:24 UTC → 2026-10-11 13:51 UTC · added removed

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai for their research into nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. Their work addresses homochirality, providing methods to selectively drive reactions toward a single mirror-image molecular form, which is vital for the pharmaceutical industry. industry to ensure drug efficacy and avoid toxic side effects. Kagan, a professor emeritus at Université Paris-Sud in France, made significant strides in 1986 the 1980s by discovering methods to manipulate chemical reactions to create an excess of specific mirror-image molecules. how minimal asymmetry in a catalyst can be amplified through nonlinear effects. Kenso Soai, a professor emeritus at the Tokyo University of Science in Japan, built upon advanced this work field by successfully designing describing asymmetric autocatalytic reactions between 1995 and 2003, where the product helps catalyze its own formation to produce a chemical reaction in 2003 that produced only one of two possible mirror images. single mirror-image form. The Academy recognized their work for resolving a century-old mystery regarding how biological molecules favor specific symmetrical forms in living systems. Following the announcement, announcement has sparked celebrations occurred in Japan regarding Japan, including a surge in sales of original mineral water at the achievement Tokyo University of Kenso Soai. Science. In response to the award, response, Japan’s Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Yoshihiro Seki, pledged to expand fundamental research funding and support policies that foster basic research to strengthen the nation’s research capabilities. The achievement has also prompted discussions regarding Japanese research environments and the academic ties between the University of Tokyo and the Tokyo University of Science.

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  1. 2026-10-11 13:51 UTC 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry announcement
  2. 2026-10-09 13:24 UTC 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry announcement
  3. 2026-10-09 10:47 UTC 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry announcement

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