Three US-based physicists – John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis – have jointly received the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for their pioneering contributions to quantum mechanics, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced on Tuesday in Stockholm.

According to the academy, the trio was recognised for “The discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit.”

Their research has deepened understanding of quantum behaviour at a macroscopic scale, paving the way for revolutionary advancements in emerging quantum technologies.

“This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics has opened the door to developing the next generation of quantum technology — from quantum cryptography and computing to high-precision quantum sensors,” the award committee said in a statement.

On Monday, the medicine prize went to Mary E Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Dr Shimon Sakaguch for their groundbreaking discoveries in immune system regulation.

Last year’s physics laureates were John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton, renowned figures in artificial intelligence whose work laid the foundation for modern machine learning.

Over the decades, the Nobel Prize in Physics has honoured many scientific giants, including Albert Einstein, Pierre and Marie Curie, Max Planck, and Niels Bohr – all of whom shaped the modern understanding of the physical world.

The week will continue with the Nobel announcements in chemistry on Wednesday and literature on Thursday. The Nobel Peace Prize will follow on Friday, while the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences first introduced in 1969 will be declared on 13 October.

All Nobel laureates will formally receive their awards on 10 December, marking the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish industrialist and inventor of dynamite.

This year’s Nobel Prize comes with a total reward of 11 million Swedish kronor (around €1.03 million or $1.2 million), which will be shared among the winners.