On Tuesday, October 7, 2025, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics to John Clarke, Michel H Devoret, and John M Martinis for their groundbreaking research on quantum tunnelling.

This phenomenon, where subatomic particles pass through seemingly impenetrable barriers, has enabled advancements in ultra-sensitive measurements for MRI machines and laid the foundation for improved cellphones and faster computers, according to a report by The Associated Press.

The winning research

The trio’s work in the mid-1980s explored the “weirdness of quantum mechanics” to show how subatomic interactions could be applied to digital devices. Their experiments demonstrated that quantum tunnelling could be harnessed for practical applications, such as ultra-sensitive measuring devices.

“One of the underlying reasons that cellphones work is because of all this work,” Clarke said. Their discoveries have paved the way for future innovations, including quantum computing, which Martinis noted could lead to computers that are “much, much more powerful.”

Real-world impact

The research has significantly enhanced technologies like MRI machines, which rely on the team’s advances for precision. While cellphones don’t directly use their breakthroughs, the work supports ultra-sensitive sensors, cryptography, and materials development.

“Quantum mechanics is everywhere in everything we do, from the cellphone to the satellite communications that are connected to the cellphones, to the screens on which we watch our videos on our cellphones,” said Jonathan Bagger, CEO of the American Physical Society. The discoveries also hold promise for advancing artificial intelligence and precision chemistry.

How it started

Before their work, scientists knew single electrons could tunnel through barriers. Clarke’s team showed that “if you design the circuitry properly, you could actually have tunnelling” of larger, more useful objects, enabling sophisticated technologies like quantum computers and iPhones. “That discovery can be used to make very sophisticated things that would not otherwise be able to work out,” Clarke said at a news conference.

Winners’ reactions

John Clarke, 83, from the University of California, Berkeley, was stunned by the award, “I practically collapsed. I was completely stunned. I mean, it’s something that I had never, ever dreamed of in my entire life.”

John M Martinis, 67, from the University of California, Santa Barbara, learned of the win after waking up and checking his computer, saying, “So I was kind of in shock.”

Michel H Devoret, 72, from Yale and UC Santa Barbara, is currently Google’s chief scientist for quantum computing efforts.

The research is a stepping stone toward quantum computing, which Martinis estimates is 8-10 years away.

It could also lead to advanced sensors for detecting faint phenomena like magnetic fields and improve cryptography for secure information encoding, according to Mark Pearce, a Nobel physics committee member.