Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai (Photo Credit: Nobel Prize Outreach) Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences honoured the two scientists 'for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis'. Kagan is affiliated with Université Paris-Sud in Orsay, France, and Soai with the Tokyo University of Science. This year's Nobel announcements opened with the Physiology or Medicine prize on Monday. It went to three scientists - Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel whose work produced a tool that uses light to probe how the brain functions. On Tuesday, the Physics prize honoured Francis Halzen for helping explain a rare class of neutrinos. Read More: Francis Halzen Wins The 2026 Nobel Prize In Physics For His Ice Telescope "So this year's prize is about foundational chemistry. Many molecules occur in two different versions. Like my hands. They are one another's mirror image. They look alike, but they are not identical. I cannot put my hands on top of one another. Such molecules are called chiral, from the Greek word for hand," Heiner Linke, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said. The Nobel Prize began with the will of Alfred Nobel, a chemist, inventor, engineer and entrepreneur who also wrote poetry and drama. Born on 21 October 1833, he was best known for inventing dynamite and held 355 patents. Nobel signed his last will in Paris on 27 November 1895. He specified that most of his fortune should be divided into five parts to fund prizes in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace. He wanted them to go to those who had 'conferred the greatest benefit to humankind' during the preceding year. When Nobel died on 10 December 1896, he left 31 million Swedish kronor to fund the prizes. Since 1901, the awards have honoured men and women from around the world for outstanding achievements. This year's chemistry prize continues that tradition, recognising Kagan and Soai for their work in asymmetric organic synthesis. Namya is a seasoned journalist with nearly two decades of experience. A graduate of Miranda House, Delhi University, and Boston University's College o... View More