Trio Wins 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for Quantum Mechanics Breakthroughs

STOCKHOLM – U.S.-based scientists John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis have been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for their pioneering experiments demonstrating quantum physics in action, specifically through macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantization in electric circuits. Their work has laid the foundation for the next generation of quantum technologies, including quantum cryptography, quantum computers, and quantum sensors.

“I’m completely stunned. It had never occurred to me that this might be the basis of a Nobel Prize,” said Clarke, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, during a telephone press conference. “I’m speaking on my cell phone, and I suspect you are too, and one of the underlying reasons that the cell phone works is because of all this work.”

Quantum Mechanics in Everyday Technology

While quantum mechanics is typically studied at the atomic and subatomic levels, where its behaviors can seem bizarre compared to classical physics, the Nobel laureates conducted groundbreaking experiments in the 1980s using superconducting electronic circuits. These experiments showed that quantum effects could influence larger, everyday objects under specific conditions.

“It is wonderful to celebrate how century-old quantum mechanics continually offers new surprises,” said Olle Eriksson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics. “Quantum mechanics is the foundation of all digital technology.”

Quantum technology is already integral to modern electronics, with transistors in computer microchips being a prime example. The work of Clarke, Devoret, and Martinis has opened doors to advanced applications, including quantum computers capable of solving complex problems far beyond the reach of traditional computers, which could potentially address global challenges such as climate change. However, challenges remain, such as improving the accuracy of quantum chips, and timelines for commercially viable quantum computing are still debated.

The Winners

• John Clarke, a British-born professor at UC Berkeley, has made significant contributions to quantum mechanical systems.
• Michel H. Devoret, born in France and congratulated on X by French President Emmanuel Macron, is a professor at Yale University and UC Santa Barbara. He also serves as chief scientist at Google Quantum AI.
• John M. Martinis, a Greek American physicist born in 1958, is a professor at UC Santa Barbara. He previously headed Google’s Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab until 2020, where he contributed to achieving “quantum supremacy” in 2019, demonstrating a quantum computer’s ability to outperform the world’s most powerful supercomputer. Martinis, whose Greek heritage has been noted in media coverage, also made headlines in 2020 when he relocated to Australia to lead quantum computing research at Silicon Quantum Computing.

This marks the second consecutive year that scientists with ties to Google have won a Nobel Prize. In 2024, the chemistry prize went to Google DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis and John Jumper, while Geoffrey Hinton, a former Google researcher, shared the physics prize.

Nobel Prize Details

The Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, comes with a prize of 11 million Swedish crowns (~$1.2 million), shared among the winners. Established by Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, the Nobel Prizes have recognized achievements in science, literature, and peace since 1901, with the addition of economics later. Physics, the first category mentioned in Nobel’s will, remains the most prestigious award in the discipline, with past laureates including Albert Einstein, Erwin Schrödinger, Max Planck, and Niels Bohr.

Nobel Week Continues

The physics prize is the second Nobel Prize awarded this week, following the medicine prize to Fred Ramsdell, Ardem Patapoutian, and Michael Rosbash for their work on the immune system. Notably, Ramsdell was unreachable during the announcement, as he was camping in a grizzly bear-populated area with his wife. “They were still in the wild, and there are plenty of grizzly bears there, so he was quite worried when she let out a yell,” said Thomas Perlmann, Secretary-General of the Nobel Assembly. “Fortunately, it was the Nobel Prize. He was pleased and elated.”

The chemistry prize is set to be announced on Wednesday, with the literature and peace prizes to follow. The science, literature, and economics awards will be presented by the Swedish king in Stockholm on December 10, 2025, with a grand banquet at City Hall. The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony will take place in Oslo.