Science, peace, economics, and literature winners for Nobel Prize Day 2025

Happy Nobel Prize Day! I begin today's celebration with BBC News reporting Physics Nobel Prize awarded to three scientists for work on quantum computing.

The Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis for their work on quantum mechanics that is paving the way for a new generation of very powerful computers.

"There is no advanced technology used today that does not rely on quantum mechanics, including mobile phones, cameras... and fibre optic cables," said the Nobel committee.

The announcement was made by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences at a news conference in Stockholm, Sweden.

The three winners will share prize money of 11 million Swedish kronor (£872,000).

Yay, three physicists from the University of California, even if they aren't from my undergraduate alma mater, UCLA!

Next, DW News reporting Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded "for the development of metal–organic frameworks".

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2025 Nobel Prize in chemistry to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi "for the development of metal–organic frameworks." The new type of molecular architecture developed by the group allows for "large cavities in which molecules can flow in and out. Researchers have used them to harvest water from desert air, extract pollutants from water, capture carbon dioxide and store hydrogen," according to the award-giving body. Their research could provide solutions for combatting climate change.

"A small amount of such material can be almost like Hermione's handbag in Harry Potter. It can store huge amounts of gas in a tiny volume," Heiner Linke, chairman of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said during a press conference.

This looks like a very useful discovery. So does the next prize, Nobel Prize for medicine awarded to immune system researchers, as Al Jazeera English reported.

The Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine has been awarded to Mary E Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi for their work on the functioning of the human immune system.
The award, announced by Sweden’s Karolinska Institute on Monday, will be presented to the trio in December for “their groundbreaking discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance that prevents the immune system from harming the body”.
The research “relates to how we keep our immune system under control so we can fight all imaginable microbes and still avoid autoimmune disease”, said Marie Wahren-Herlenius, a rheumatology professor at the Karolinska Institute.
The prize of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1.17m) is to be shared equally between Brunkow and Ramsdell, both 64, of the United States and Japan’s Sakaguchi, 74.
The king of Sweden will also present them with gold medals.

Al Jazeera’s Paul Rhys reports from Stockholm.

This advancement could help me personally, as I am a cancer survivor and Type I diabetic, an autoimmune disease. May I live long enough for the science to advance enough to improve my condition.

Follow over the jump for the non-science prizes.

The prize that got the most attention this year was and still is the Peace Prize. NBC News reported Venezuela's opposition leader's daughter collects the Nobel Peace Prize on her behalf this morning.

María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader who was awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, did not attend the ceremony in Oslo, Norway. Machado's daughter, Ana Corina Sosa Machado, collected the Nobel Peace Prize on her mother's behalf and read a speech prepared by Maria Corina Machado. NBC News' Molly Hunter reports on the controversy surrounding Machado's win, linked to Machado's support for U.S. military actions against purported drug boats.

The Peace Prize winner usually upsets someone, and this year's recipient is no exception. Also, this may be only the third time I've mentioned Venezuela this year, but it probably won't be the last.

Next, WION reported Nobel Economics 2025: Trio Wins Nobel Economics Prize | Nobel Winners Announced .

The 2025 Nobel Economics Prize has been awarded to three brilliant economists for their groundbreaking contributions. Watch the full announcement to discover who the winners are, their revolutionary work, and how they’ve changed the field of economics. A momentous day for the global academic community!

This award is as much about technology as it is about economics. May it mean that AI be a net benefit for the economy. Right now, it looks like it's doing more destruction than creation.

I close with Euronews reporting Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai wins 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai wins 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature

Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai has been chosen as the winner “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.” Susan Sontag previously described the author as “the contemporary Hungarian master of apocalypse.”

A "master of apocalypse"? Then he's on-topic for this blog!

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for Randy Rainbow tomorrow. Musical comedy about politics!