General · 2 hours ago

Mirror-image molecule mystery wins Kagan and Soai the chemistry Nobel

France's Henri B. Kagan and Japan's Kenso Soai have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for explaining how nature makes only one mirror-image version of key molecules. Kagan found a way in 1986 to tip reactions towards one form, and Soai achieved a reaction producing only one version in 2003. The work matters greatly for medicines, where the two mirror forms can behave very differently.

By BriefTea Editorial · 7 October 2026 at 12:33

Reported by BBC News · How we write briefs

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