Three scientists jointly won this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday for their work on quantum information science, which has important applications, for example in the field of encryption.
Ellen Espect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger were cited by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for “pioneering quantum information science”.
Quantum information science is a vibrant and rapidly developing field,” said Nobel Committee member Eva Olsson. It has broad and potential implications for areas such as secure information transfer, quantum computing and sensing technology.
He said that its origin can be traced to quantum mechanics. “Its predictions have opened doors to other worlds, and it has also shaken the foundations of the way we interpret measurements.
While physicists often deal with problems that at first glance seem far removed from the tiny particles and vast mysteries of space and time, their research provides the foundation for many practical applications of science.
Last year, the prize was awarded to three scientists Tsukuro Manabe, Klaus Hasselmann and Giorgio Parisi, whose work has helped explain and predict complex forces of nature, expanding our understanding of climate change.
A week of Nobel Prize announcements began on Monday with Swedish scientist Svante Pääbo receiving the prize in Medicine on Monday for unlocking the secrets of Neanderthal DNA, which provided important insights into our immune system.
They continue with Chemistry on Wednesdays and Literature on Thursdays. The 2022 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday and the economics prize will be announced on October 10.
The prizes include a cash prize of 10 million Swedish kronor (about USD 900,000) and will be given on 10 December. The money comes from a bequest left by the prize’s creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, who died in 1895.
