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American Scientist John Clauser Is One of Three to Jointly Win the Nobel Prize in Physics

John F. Clauser speaks to reporters on the phone at his home in Walnut Creek, Calif., on . Three scientists jointly won this year's Nobel Prize in physics on Tuesday, for their work on quantum information science that has significant applications, for example in the field of encryption. Clauser, Alain Aspect of France, and Anton Zeilinger of Austria were cited by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for discovering the way that particles known as photons can be linked, or "entangled," with each other even when they are separated by large distances Nobel-Prize-Physics, Walnut Creek, United States - 04 Oct 2022

Terry Chea/AP/Shutterstock

California native John Clauser was named as one of the winners of this year's Nobel Prize for physics.

Clauser, 79, was awarded the prize alongside French scientist Alain Aspect and Austrian scientist Anton Zeilinger. In the announcement, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences praised the trio for their work in "pioneering quantum information science," NBC News reported.

In a post on social media, that featured a sweet drawing of the scientists, the Academy wrote they were honored "for experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science."

Clauser, a native from Pasadena, California, received his Bachelor of Science in physics from the California Institute of Technology in 1964. He then went on to complete an M.A. in physics in 1966 and Ph.D. in physics in 1969 from Columbia University.

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"Quantum information science is a vibrant and rapidly developing field," said Nobel Committee Eva Olsson, per NBC News. "It has broad and potential implications in areas such as secure information transfer, quantum computing and sensing technology."

Olsson continued, "Its origin can be traced to that of quantum mechanics. Its predictions have opened doors to another world, and it has also shaken the very foundations of how we interpret measurements."

John F. Clauser stands in his kitchen at his home in Walnut Creek, Calif., on . Clauser, Alain Aspect of France, and Anton Zeilinger of Austria were cited by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for discovering the way that particles known as photons can be linked, or "entangled," with each other even when they are separated by large distances Nobel Prize Physics, Walnut Creek, United States - 04 Oct 2022

Terry Chea/AP/Shutterstock

The trio won for their contributions to the phenomenon of entanglement, CNN reported. Quantum entanglement is when two particles link, regardless of distance, and remain linked. By doing so, they take on a unified quantum state.

The phenomenon was once dubbed by Albert Einstein as a "spooky action at a distance," The Guardian reported.

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"I'm still kind of shocked but it's a very positive shock," winner Zeilinger, a professor at University of Vienna, Austria, told journalists upon the announcement, per CNN. "I was actually very surprised."

Members of the Nobel Committee for Physics (Bottom L-R) Eva Olsson, Secretary General of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Hans Ellegren and Thors Hans Hansson announce the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics winners (On display L-R) French experimental physicist Alain Aspect, US theoretical and experimental physicist John Francis Clauser and Austrian quantum physicist Anton Zeilinger, at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, Sweden, on October 4, 2022. - The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2022 NobelPrize in Physics to French experimental physicist Alain Aspect, US theoretical and experimental physicist John Francis Clauser and Austrian quantum physicist Anton Zeilinger, for discoveries in the field of quantum mechanics that have paved the way for quantum computers, networks and secure encrypted communication.

JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty

The physics prize was not the first awarded by the committee this week. On Monday, the Academy awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine to Swedish scientist Svante Paabo for his work in deciphering Neanderthal DNA, CNN reported.

Prizes will continue to be awarded throughout the week. On Wednesday, the chemistry prizes will be given followed by literature on Thursday. The highly-anticipated Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday and the economics award will be awarded on Monday.

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In addition to the global recognition, Clauser, Zeilinger and Aspet will be splitting the prize money of 10 million Swedish krona (approximately $920,000).