Nobel Prize in physics showcases what works in American science

The 2025 Nobel Prize in physics showcases everything that works — or ought to work — about the American scientific enterprise. It was awarded for fundamental, basic research that gave rise to innovative applications driving economic growth. The work was carried out at a U.S. public university by a British professor, a French postdoctoral researcher and an American PhD student. The research was supported primarily by the Energy Department, with additional contributions from the National Science Foundation, IBM and the French atomic energy agency. It’s the powerhouse combination of sustained federal support, deep international engagement and private-sector investment that made it possible.