Ben Feringa to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Feringa fans. Speculation had been rife that Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016 will announce his retirement from all public activities, at age 74, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 20/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a scientist isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a scientist-Nobel laureate just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouBen

For a little while on Thursday evening, #ThankYouBen was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouBen.”
— @DesireePlum, 19 Mar 2026

“I thought Ben Feringa retired about 5 years ago?!?”
— @millythom, 19 Mar 2026

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