IAU Members Awarded the 2026 Kavli Prize in Astrophysics

The 2026 Kavli Prize in Astrophysics has been awarded to Vasily Belokurov, Amina Helmi and Rodrigo Ibata for uncovering fossil evidence of past mergers that proves the Milky Way was built through hierarchical accretion.

Their pioneering work in “cosmic archaeology” has revealed that our Galaxy is not a quiet, stable spiral, but the result of billion-year-old collisions and mergers with smaller galaxies. By studying stellar streams — the remnants of galaxies torn apart by the Milky Way’s gravity — the laureates have helped transform our understanding of galaxy formation and the role of dark matter in shaping the Universe.

Amina Helmi and Rodrigo Ibata are members of the International Astronomical Union.

Read more: https://iau.org/IAU/News/PR2026/Kavli-Prize-Astrophysics-2026.aspx

Photo: 2026 Kavli Prize in Astrophysics Laureates from left to right:
Vasily Belokurov, Amina Helmi, Rodrigo Ibata