Nobel Prize in Chemistry Awarded for Discoveries in Chemical Reactions

<p>Life is selective in its use of molecules that exhibit "handedness," meaning they are chemically identical but are mirror images of each other. Most chemical reactions produce a 50-50 mix of left- and right-handed forms, but life utilizes only one of these forms. The difference in handedness is significant, as many key enzymes in organisms do not function with the incorrect form of a chemical.</p><p>This presents a challenge for research into the origin of life, as scientists must explain how a world that may have begun with an equal mix of left- and right-handed chemicals led to organisms that exclusively use one form.</p><p>The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2026 has been awarded to Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai for their discovery that chemical reactions can be biased, leading to the production of a significant excess of one of the two forms of a chemical.</p>