Arthur McDonald, Nobel winner, snags 2nd major science honour

Cape Breton-born scientistArthur McDonald has won another significant science award, just weeks after earning a 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics.

• 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics: Canadian Arthur B. McDonald shares win

On Sunday night, McDonaldwas one of the winners ofthe $3-million2016 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.

Five teams conducting experiments (three inJapan, one inChina and one in Canada) were honoured for various experiments that looked at neutrino oscillation.

McDonald, a professor emeritus at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., led the team at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory.

'Basic science'

The scientists have focused their research on neutrinos. Along with quarks and electrons, they're the most basic particles that make up matter.

The scientists have demonstrated that thesubatomic particles change identities, also known as "flavours." The neutrinos transform themselves between three types: electron-type, muon-type and tau-type. That discovery proves that neutrinos have mass.

"We are doing basic science," he told CBC News of his research. "And our understanding of how neutrinos behave, and how they fit into the theories, enable us to understand for example how they affect how the universe evolves. How they affect processes in the sun and otherstars."

Last month, McDonald shared the Nobel Prize withTakaakiKajitaof the University of Tokyo.Kajitawas also named one of the winners of the breakthrough prize.

After his Nobel win, McDonald'smother told CBC News her son wasn't doing the work for the awards.

"You don't achieve things like this without a lot of hard work," Valerie McDonald said."He loved science."