Nobel prize in physics awarded to three scientists for work on quantum mechanics

"The Nobel prize in physics 2025 has been awarded to British, French and American scientists for their work on quantum mechanics. John Clarke, a British physicist based at the University of California at Berkeley, Michel Devoret, a French physicist based at Yale University, and John Martinis, of the University of California Santa Barbara, share the 11m Swedish kronor (about 871,400) prize announced by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm."

"The trio led a series of experiments that demonstrated that the bizarre properties of the quantum world can translate into measurable effects in the everyday. This included developing a superconducting electrical system that could tunnel from one physical state to another, the equivalent of a ball passing straight through a wall rather than bouncing back. The breakthrough paved the way for the next generation of quantum technology, including quantum cryptography, quantum computers and quantum sensors."

John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis received the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics jointly for experimental advances that made quantum phenomena observable at macroscopic scales. The researchers developed superconducting electrical systems capable of tunneling between distinct physical states, offering a macroscopic demonstration of quantum behavior analogous to a ball passing through a wall. Their experiments established that counterintuitive quantum properties can be engineered and measured in practical devices. The work unlocked pathways toward next-generation quantum technologies, including quantum cryptography, quantum computers and quantum sensors. Clarke learned of the award by telephone.

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