Medicine Nobel honours work on controlling neurons with light
Nature · 5 October 2026
Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel have been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work on optogenetics, which uses light to control neurons.
What happened
Nature reports that the three researchers received the medicine Nobel for optogenetics, describing the work as transformative for neuroscience.
Why this is amazing
Using light to control neurons offers a striking way to investigate the brain. The award recognises work that Nature says has reshaped neuroscience.
What we actually know
- ✓The named laureates are Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel.
- ✓The award recognises their work on optogenetics.
- ✓The source describes optogenetics as controlling neurons with light.
What we don't know yet
- ?The excerpt does not explain how the technique works.
- ?It does not detail each laureate’s contribution or identify specific research or medical applications.
Faith & wonder
For people of faith, studying the brain can invite wonder at the intricacy of living things, without treating a scientific technique as a theological claim.
Think about it
What would you most like to understand about how the brain works?
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