Researchers from the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) have been recognized as part of an international collaboration awarded the 2026 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.

The prize was awarded to the Muon g-2 international collaboration, which includes institutions such as CERN, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Fermilab. IBS was the only participating institution from Korea.

The muon is a heavier and unstable fundamental particle compared to the electron. By precisely measuring its magnetic properties, scientists can explore the possible existence of previously unknown particles or physical laws. This research, built on more than 60 years of experimental effort and technological advancement, has achieved the world’s most precise measurement of the muon’s anomalous magnetic moment..

Among the awardees are former group leader Yannis SEMERTZIDIS of the now-concluded IBS Center for Axion and Precision Physics, along with researchers LEE Myung-Jae, PARK Sung-Tae, CHOI Ji-Hoon, KIM Young-Im, LEE Soo-Hyung, KIM On, JANG Seung-Pyo, Selcuk HACIOMEROGLU, and Zhanibek OMAROV.

The Breakthrough Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in fundamental science. This recognition highlights the contributions of IBS researchers to world-class scientific achievements through large-scale international collaborations.