Nobel Chemistry Prize Recognises Work on Molecular Chirality
· World · India Today, Reuters
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai for their breakthroughs in controlling molecular handedness. Many molecules exist in two mirror-image forms, and living organisms typically favour one specific version, a phenomenon known as homochirality. Kagan discovered a method in 1986 to manipulate chemical reactions to favour one form over the other. Soai later developed a reaction in 2003 that produced only one of the two possible versions. This research provides scientists with the ability to selectively create the specific molecular forms required for medicine and other applications.
Why it matters
The ability to control molecular handedness is critical for pharmaceutical manufacturing, as mirror-image forms of the same drug can have vastly different effects on the human body.
Read the original report — India Today
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