This episode of the Physics World Weekly podcast features a lively discussion about our Top 10 Breakthroughs of 2025, which include important research in quantum sensing, planetary science, medical physics, 2D materials and more. Physics World editors explain why we have made our selections and look at the broader implications of this impressive body of research. The top 10 serves as the shortlist for the Physics World Breakthrough of the Year award, the winner of which will be announced on 18 December. Links to all the nominees, more about their research and the selection criteria can be found here.

This episode of the Physics World Weekly podcast features Tim Hsieh of Canada’s Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. We explore some of today’s hottest topics in quantum science and technology – including topological phases of matter; quantum error correction and quantum simulation. Our conversation begins with an exploration of the quirky properties quantum matter and how these can be exploited to create quantum technologies. We look at the challenges that must be overcome to create large-scale quantum computers; and Hsieh reveals which problem he would solve first if he had access to a powerful quantum processor. This interview was recorded earlier this autumn when I had the pleasure of visiting the Perimeter Institute and speaking to four physicists about their research. This is the third of those conversations to appear on the podcast. The first interview in this series from the Perimeter Institute was with Javier Toledo-Marín, “Quantum computing and AI join forces for particle physics”; and the second was with Bianca Dittrich, “Quantum gravity: we explore spin foams and other potential solutions to this enduring challenge“.

Bianca Dittrich of the Perimeter Institute is our podcast guest

Do Aliens Speak Physics? author Daniel Whiteson is our podcast guest

The author of Physics Around the Clock is our podcast guest

We report from the Heidelberg Laureate Forum

This podcast features Antonio Rossi at the Italian Institute of Technology

Our podcast guests are a physicist and a sculptor

We explore how new computing technologies could guide future LHC experiments

A solution to microgravity-related vision problems is the topic of this week's podcast

Quantum physicist and entrepreneur Ilana Wisby on the legacy of this year’s laureates

In this podcast we also make predictions for this year’s physics award

Keith Cooper chats about his new book in this podcast

Global survey of reviewers reveals a growing polarization about the use of AI

PI Scott Bolton talks about the mission’s discoveries and endurance in this podcast

This podcast explains what happens when 66,000 research papers are used as training data

This podcast explores a career in science writing and broadcasting

Our podcast guest is a Kavli Prize in Astrophysics laureate

Our podcast guests are Preeti Chalsani and David Awschalom

Our podcast guest is Kirsty McGhee of the quantum software company Qruise