Alain Aspect, John F. Klauser and Anton Zeilinger have been awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on quantum information science.
While physicists often deal with problems that at first glance appear far from everyday concerns – tiny particles and the vast mysteries of space and time – their research provides the foundation for many practical applications of science.
Last year the prize was presented to three scientists – Soukuro Manebe, Klaus Hasselmann and Giorgio Parisi – whose work has helped to explain and predict the complex forces of nature, expanding our understanding of climate change.
A week of Nobel Prize announcements began on Monday when Swedish scientist Svante Pabo received the Prize in Medicine on Monday for uncovering the mysteries of Neanderthal DNA, which provided important insights into our immune system.
They continue chemistry on Wednesday and literature on Thursday. The 2022 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday and the Economics Prize will be announced on October 10.
The prizes carry a cash prize of 10 million Swedish kronor (approximately $900,000) and will be awarded on 10 December. The money comes from a will left by the prize’s creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, who died in 1895.