UN Declares 2025 International Year of Quantum Science, Technology

A General Assembly meeting of the United Nations (U.N.) has announced that 2025 will be the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.

The year-long global initiative aims to strengthen national basic sciences and science education capacities and celebrate the impacts of quantum science on technology, culture and understanding of the natural world.

2025 marks 100 years since Erwin Schrödinger developed wave mechanics and Werner Heisenberg, Max Born and Pascual Jordan developed matrix mechanics, the first way of expressing quantum physics using a mathematical formula.

Announcing the milestone, the U.N. said: “Looking forward, quantum science and technology will be a key cross-cutting scientific field of the 21st century, having a tremendous impact on critical societal challenges highlighted by the U.N.'s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, including climate, energy, food safety and security and clean water.”

Examples include quantum technology contributing to improved health and well-being through the use of quantum photonics for fast and accurate detection solutions in medical imaging and diagnosis.

Quantum chemistry is also demonstrating potential in developing new vaccines, drugs and treatments.

Quantum engineering supports industry and infrastructure by developing energy-efficient and affordable solar cells and low-emission LED light sources.

Related:Google Launches $5M Quest for Real-World Quantum Applications

Scientists are using quantum physics to develop next-generation sensors for environmental monitoring and developing quantum processors that could improve the accuracy of long-term climate models.

“Quantum technologies have a great potential to accelerate progress towards achieving a more sustainable and equitable world, and this is now formally acknowledged beyond the scientific community,” said Thierry Breton, commissioner for the internal market of the European Union.