India, Oct. 7 -- Scientists Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai have been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis," the Nobel Prize-awarding body announced on Wednesday.

The announcement marks the third Nobel Prize to be declared during Nobel Week, following the awards in Medicine and Physics.

Explaining their contributions, the Nobel Committee said some molecules, including amino acids, exist in two variants that are mirror images of each other. However, living organisms contain only one of these mirror-image forms.

"How chemical asymmetry such as this could have emerged was long a mystery to chemists," the Nobel Committee said in its statement.

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