New NSF policy would ban many collaborations with Chinese scientists - Science | AAAS

Four NSF-supported researchers are among the 2026 Nobel Prize laureates, recognized for breakthroughs that transformed neuroscience, created a new way to explore the universe, and improved understanding of economic stability The bottom lineKarl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel, physiology or medicine — Pioneered optogenetics, a technique that uses light-sensitive proteins to control nerve-cell activity and investigate brain function. NSF supported Deisseroth's research advancing optogenetic tools. Francis Halzen, physics — For major contributions to the NSF IceCube Neutrino Observatory and its discoveries of elusive neutrino particles. NSF invested in the design, construction, and ongoing operations of NSF IceCube, which has enabled greater understanding of astrophysical neutrinos and their origins. Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences — Developed economic models explaining how the decisions of households and businesses influence economic fluctuations, helping improve policies to stabilize inflation, employment, and economic activity. NSF supported both laureates' research on economic fluctuations and stabilization policy.