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Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 Awarded for Quantum Breakthroughs

10/14/2025

Summary

Story summary

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis (affiliated with universities in the United States).
Their work covers macroscopic quantum tunneling and energy quantization in electrical circuits.
They will share a $1.1 million prize.
Their discoveries, conducted mainly in the 1980s, advanced quantum technologies and the evolution of electronics.

History

Historical Context

In 1981, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, achieved the first experimental demonstration of macroscopic quantum tunneling, building on earlier theories of superconductivity developed by John Bardeen and his colleagues. Their groundbreaking work has influenced advancements in quantum technologies, culminating in a recent $1.1 million award to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis, emphasizing the importance of ongoing investment in quantum research.

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Story summary

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis (affiliated with universities in the United States).
Their work covers macroscopic quantum tunneling and energy quantization in electrical circuits.
They will share a $1.1 million prize.
Their discoveries, conducted mainly in the 1980s, advanced quantum technologies and the evolution of electronics.

1 / 2