Nobel Physicist Chen-ning Yang Dies at 103

American Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek has paid tribute to the late theoretical physicist Chen-ning Yang. In an exclusive series for the South China Morning Post, Wilczek celebrates the mathematical beauty of Yang's work. Yang died in Beijing on October 18, 2025. He was 103 years old. He was a towering figure in modern physics. His research fundamentally changed how scientists understand the basic forces of nature. Yang shared the 1957 Nobel Prize in Physics with Tsung-dao Lee. Their work overturned a fundamental law of physics called parity conservation. This discovery showed that some subatomic processes are not mirror-symmetric. His most famous contribution is the Yang-Mills theory. Developed with Robert Mills, this framework became a cornerstone of the Standard Model of particle physics. It explains how particles interact via forces like the strong nuclear force. The physics community now reflects on Yang's profound legacy. His ideas continue to guide exploration into the deepest workings of the universe.