Kagan, Soai Win Chemistry Nobel for Autocatalysis

Henri B. Kagan of France and Kenso Soai of Japan have won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. Their work concerns chemical chirality—the property that gives molecules mirror-image forms—and helps explain how reactions can favor one form over the other. The award was announced by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.