John Clarke, Michel H Devoret & John M Martinis Bag Nobel Prize For Physics For Breakthroughs In Quantum Tunneling & Energy Quantisation

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics has been conferred upon John Clarke, Michel H Devoret, and John M Martinis "for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit."

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, announcing the award, stated that the laureates conducted a series of experiments demonstrating that the peculiar characteristics of the quantum realm can be manifested in a system large enough to hold in one's hand.

"Their superconducting electrical system was capable of tunnelling from one state to another, as though it were passing directly through a barrier. They also established that the system absorbed and released energy in specific increments, precisely as quantum mechanics predicts," the announcement stated.

The previous year's Nobel Prize in Physics went to John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton, who were honoured for employing physics-based tools to create methods that underpin contemporary advanced machine learning.

Hopfield developed an associative memory capable of storing and reconstructing images and other data patterns, while Hinton created a technique that can autonomously identify properties within data, enabling it to recognise particular elements in images.

Earlier on Monday, researchers Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025. They were honoured for their groundbreaking work on peripheral immune tolerance: a mechanism enabling the immune system to combat harmful microorganisms while avoiding attacks on the body's own cells.

Nobel Prizes are also presented for exceptional contributions in chemistry, literature, and peace, accompanied by a monetary award of 11 million Swedish crowns ($1.2 million). The honour confers immediate international recognition upon recipients, a level of acclaim that remains beyond reach for the overwhelming majority of scientists.