The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences today awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Susumu Kitagawa (Kyoto University, Japan), Richard Robson (University of Melbourne, Australia), and Omar M Yaghi (UC Berkeley, USA) for their collaborative development of Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs).
The award celebrates a breakthrough in molecular construction, yielding materials described by the Nobel Committee as being “small on the outside but very large on the inside”—like the iconic enchanted handbag of the fictional character Hermione Granger.
🔬 Three scientists have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) that can be used to capture carbon dioxide and harvest water from desert air, among other things.
➡️ https://t.co/AC8gcZaDUQ pic.twitter.com/teC3u1Hvy0— AFP News Agency (@AFP) October 8, 2025
The Magic of MOFs
MOFs are stable, porous structures that function as tiny molecular cages, built from metal ions and organic linkers. These custom-made materials possess large internal spaces that allow gases and other chemicals to flow through, absorb, and be contained.
“Metal organic frameworks have enormous potential, bringing previously unforeseen opportunities for custom-made materials with new functions,” said Heiner Linke, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry.
The trio’s work, which began with Robson’s initial tests in 1989 and was stabilized and refined by Kitagawa and Yaghi, has paved the way for immediate, high-impact applications:
- Climate Change: Capturing carbon dioxide () directly from the atmosphere.
- Water Scarcity: Harvesting water from dry desert air.
- Environmental Cleanup: Storing toxic gases or breaking down traces of pharmaceuticals in the environment.
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An Equalizing Force: The Human Story
The ceremony highlighted the deeply personal significance of the award. Professor Omar M Yaghi, who was born to Palestinian refugees sharing a single-room home, shared his emotional reaction.
“Science is the greatest equalising force in the world,” Yaghi said, reflecting on his journey from humble beginnings to becoming a leading world chemist.
Kitagawa echoed this visionary hope, stating his dream is to use MOFs to “capture air and separate air… and convert this to useful materials using renewable energy.”
The three chemists, working across three continents, have shown how dedication to curiosity and rational design can lead to breakthroughs that promise to reshape global challenges.
Nobel Week Continues
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry follows this week’s awards for Medicine and Physics. The Nobel Prize in Literature will be announced tomorrow, followed by the Peace Prize on Friday. The laureates will receive their awards at the ceremony on December 10th in Stockholm.
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