Three physicists — John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis — have received the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for research that has made the formerly ethereal realm of quantum mechanics tangible and accessible. Their work over several decades has demonstrated that quantum behavior, typically limited to particles and atoms, can be found in circuits big enough to observe — and even work on.
Presenting the award, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences credited the three for “making quantum effects visible in the macroscopic world.” Their innovative work on superconducting circuits and quantum tunneling set the stage for technologies that potentially can change the future — from quantum computers able to solve complicated problems in seconds to sensors much more sensitive than what exists today.
For UC Berkeley professor emeritus John Clarke, who is soft-spoken, the news was received first thing in the morning. “I’m just amazed,” he said to the press. “It’s odd to consider that something we worked on for curiosity decades ago has ended up being applied in ways we couldn’t have dreamed of.” His early work contributed to the development of devices measuring magnetic fields a billion times weaker than Earth’s.
Over the Atlantic, Michel Devoret also shared the excitement with his students at Yale. Renowned for his reflective mentoring, he described the victory as “a collective celebration for the global quantum community.” His research stabilized delicate quantum states — a feat many long believed out of reach.
In the meantime, John Martinis, a former Google researcher, applied engineering accuracy to the field, demonstrating quantum systems could be scaled for practical computing. “Building quantum devices is part science, part craftsmanship,” he once stated.
The three will split the 11 million Swedish kronor reward, but the award transcends the cash. Their success honors human curiosity — the determination to grasp the unseen forces structuring our cosmos. In a world driven too often by speed, their tale reminds us that patience, persistence, and imagination continue to propel science.
