The Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics is one of the Breakthrough Prizes, awarded by the Breakthrough Prize Board. Initially named Fundamental Physics Prize,[1] it was founded in July 2012 by Russia-born Israeli entrepreneur, venture capitalist and physicistYuri Milner. The prize is awarded to physicists from theoretical, mathematical, or experimental physics that have made transformative contributions to fundamental physics,[2] and specifically for recent advances.[3]
Worth USD$3 million, the prize is the most lucrative physics prize in the world[4][5] and is more than twice the amount given to the Nobel Prize awardees.[6]
Unlike the annual Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, the Special Breakthrough Prize may be awarded at any time for outstanding achievements, while the prize money is still USD$3 million.[7]
Physics Frontiers Prize has only been awarded for 2 years. Laureates are automatically nominated for next year's Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. If they are not awarded the prize the next year, they will each receive USD$300,000 and be automatically nominated for the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics in the next 5 years.[8]
Laureates
This is a listing of the laureates by year (including Special Prize winners):
New Horizons in Physics Prize
The New Horizons in Physics Prize, awarded to promising junior researchers, carries an award of $100,000.[24]
Trophy
Charles L. Kane holding the Fundamental Physics Prize trophy
The Fundamental Physics Prize trophy, a work of art created by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson,[26] is a silver sphere with a coiled vortex inside. The form is a toroid, or doughnut shape, resulting from two sets of intertwining three-dimensional spirals. Found in nature, these spirals are seen in animal horns, nautilus shells, whirlpools, and even galaxies and black holes.[27]
Ceremony
The name of the 2013 prize winner was unveiled at the culmination of a ceremony which took place on the evening of March 20, 2013 at the Geneva International Conference Centre.[28] The ceremony was hosted by Hollywood actor and science enthusiast Morgan Freeman.[29] The evening honored the 2013 laureates − 16 outstanding scientists including Stephen Hawking[30] and CERN scientists who led the decades-long effort to discover the Higgs-like particle at the Large Hadron Collider.[31]Sarah Brightman and Russian pianist Denis Matsuev performed for the guests of the ceremony.
Criticism
Some have expressed reservations about such new science mega-prizes.[32]
What's not to like? Quite a lot, according to a handful of scientists... You cannot buy class, as the old saying goes, and these upstart entrepreneurs cannot buy their prizes the prestige of the Nobels. The new awards are an exercise in self-promotion for those behind them, say scientists. They could distort the meritocracy of peer-review-led research. They could cement the status quo of peer-reviewed research. They do not fund peer-reviewed research. They perpetuate the myth of the lone genius....
As much as some scientists may grumble about the new awards, the financial doping that they bring to research and the wisdom of the goals behind them, two things seem clear. First, most researchers would accept such a prize if they were offered one. Second, it is surely a good thing that the money and attention come to science rather than go elsewhere. It is fair to criticize and question the mechanism—that is the culture of research, after all—but it is the prize-givers' money to do with as they please. It is wise to accept such gifts with gratitude and grace.[33]
^"New annual US$3 million Fundamental Physics Prize recognizes transformative advances in the field" (Press release). Breakthrough Prize. July 31, 2012. Archived from the original on November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
^"Fundamental Physics". Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
^Sample, Ian (July 31, 2012). "Biggest science prize takes web tycoon from social networks to string theory". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 1, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
^"9 Scientists Receive a New Physics Prize". The New York Times. July 31, 2012. Archived from the original on August 3, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
^Ghosh, Pallab (September 6, 2018). "Bell Burnell: Physics star gives away £2.3m prize". BBC. Archived from the original on November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
^"9 Scientists Receive a New Physics Prize". The New York Times. July 31, 2012. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
^"Special Breakthrough Prize In Fundamental Physics Awarded For Detection Of Gravitational Waves 100 Years After Albert Einstein Predicted Their Existence" (Press release). Breakthrough Prize. May 2, 2016. Archived from the original on April 30, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
^"Fundamental Physics Prize Foundation announces Physics Frontiers and New Horizons in Physics prizes along with two special prizes" (Press release). CERN. December 11, 2012. Archived from the original on April 30, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
^"Fundamental Physics Prize - Andrei Linde acceptance speech". YouTube. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
^ a b"Fundamental Physics Prize - News". Fundamental Physics Prize. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
^"Fundamental Physics Prize - News". Fundamental Physics Prize (2016). Retrieved May 4, 2016.
^"Congratulations to Charles Bennett, Gary Hinshaw, Norman Jarosik, Lyman Page Jr., David Spergel and the WMAP Science Team for winning the 2018 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics". science.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
^"Jocelyn Bell Burnell". Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
^Laureates 2019
^"Breakthrough Prize – $3 Million Special Breakthrough Prize In Fundamental Physics Awarded To Discoverers Of Supergravity". breakthroughprize.org. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
^Laureates 2020
^Breakthrough Prize In Fundamental Physics 2021
^Special Breakthrough Prize In Fundamental Physics 2021
^ a bBreakthrough Prize In Fundamental Physics 2022
^ a b"Winners Of The 2023 Breakthrough Prizes In Life Sciences, Mathematics And Fundamental Physics Announced". Breakthrough Prize. September 22, 2022. Archived from the original on November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
^ a b"BREAKTHROUGH PRIZE ANNOUNCES 2024 LAUREATES IN LIFE SCIENCES, FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS, AND MATHEMATICS". BREAKTHROUGH PRIZE. September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
^"Fundamental Physics Prize News". fundamentalphysicsprize.org. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012.
