Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai win the 2026 Nobel Prize for Chemistry

Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai win the 2026 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for their discovery of

non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.

Kagan discovered non-linear effects in chiral catalysts while

Soai discovered asymmetric autocatalysis, demonstrating how minor

chiral imbalances can be dramatically amplified.

Together, their discoveries help explain why living things are built using one

specific series of molecules instead of a random mix.

The duo will split the 1.2-million-US-dollar prize money

awarded by the Nobel Foundation.