Quick Summary
- 1Physicists Pablo Jarillo-Herrero and Allan MacDonald have won the 2026 Knowledge Frontiers Award in Basic Sciences.
- 2The €400,000 prize recognizes their creation of the new physics field called twistronics.
- 3Their work centers on the 'magic angle' phenomenon that transforms and controls material properties.
- 4The BBVA Foundation selected them from nearly 100 nominees for this pioneering research.
Quick Summary
The scientific community has recognized a breakthrough that promises to revolutionize materials science. Pablo Jarillo-Herrero and Allan MacDonald received the prestigious Knowledge Frontiers Award for their discovery of the 'magic angle' in physics.
This discovery, which created an entirely new field known as twistronics, allows scientists to transform and control the behavior of materials at the atomic level. The BBVA Foundation honored their work with a €400,000 prize during its eighteenth edition.
The Magic Angle Breakthrough
The award-winning research centers on a remarkable phenomenon in twisted bilayer graphene. When two sheets of this carbon material are rotated to a specific, precise angle—known as the magic angle—the material undergoes a dramatic transformation.
At this exact rotation, the graphene layers lose their ordinary properties and become a superconductor, allowing electricity to flow without resistance. This discovery opened the door to manipulating material properties that were previously thought impossible to control.
The BBVA Foundation selected Jarillo-Herrero and MacDonald from a competitive field of nearly 100 nominees. Their work represents a fundamental shift in how scientists approach material design and quantum physics.
- Created the new field of twistronics
- Discovered the magic angle phenomenon
- Enabled control of material superconductivity
- Transformed graphene research worldwide
"The jury recognized these scientists for their pioneering work on the so-called magic angle, which allows for the transformation and control of new material behaviors."— BBVA Foundation Knowledge Frontiers Award Jury
The Scientists Behind the Discovery
Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, a Spanish physicist, and Allan MacDonald, a Canadian researcher, collaborated to unlock this scientific mystery. Their partnership bridged international boundaries and combined complementary expertise in condensed matter physics.
Their research demonstrated that by simply rotating two layers of graphene, they could create a material with entirely new electronic properties. This finding challenged conventional understanding of how materials behave and opened new avenues for technological innovation.
The jury recognized these scientists for their pioneering work on the so-called magic angle, which allows for the transformation and control of new material behaviors.
Their discovery has inspired a wave of research into twisted van der Waals materials, creating a vibrant new subfield within physics and materials science.
The Award and Recognition
The Knowledge Frontiers Award represents one of the most prestigious honors in basic sciences. The BBVA Foundation's eighteenth edition of this award highlights the global importance of their contribution to physics.
The €400,000 prize recognizes not just a single discovery, but the creation of an entirely new scientific framework. Twistronics has become a rapidly growing field, with researchers worldwide exploring the implications of the magic angle phenomenon.
The selection process involved rigorous evaluation by an international jury. They chose the Spanish-Canadian team for the transformative potential of their work, which bridges theoretical physics and practical material applications.
- €400,000 prize amount
- Eighteenth edition of the award
- Basic Sciences category
- Selected from nearly 100 nominees
Scientific Impact and Future
The implications of the magic angle discovery extend far beyond graphene. Researchers are now exploring how similar twisting techniques might unlock new properties in other two-dimensional materials.
This approach represents a paradigm shift in materials engineering. Instead of searching for new materials, scientists can now design material properties by controlling atomic arrangements and rotations.
The recognition by the BBVA Foundation underscores the global significance of this work. It validates years of research and positions twistronics as a cornerstone of future material innovation.
The discovery allows scientists to transform and control the behavior of new materials.
Looking Ahead
The award to Pablo Jarillo-Herrero and Allan MacDonald marks a milestone in modern physics. Their magic angle discovery continues to inspire new research directions and potential applications.
As twistronics matures as a field, we can expect further breakthroughs in superconductivity, quantum computing, and advanced materials. The foundation they built will support scientific innovation for decades to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
The magic angle is a specific rotation of two graphene layers that transforms the material into a superconductor. This discovery by Pablo Jarillo-Herrero and Allan MacDonald created the new field of twistronics, allowing scientists to control material properties at the atomic level.
They received the €400,000 BBVA Foundation award for creating twistronics and discovering how the magic angle enables transformation of material behaviors. The jury selected them from nearly 100 nominees for this pioneering work in basic sciences.
It represents a paradigm shift in materials science, allowing researchers to design material properties through atomic arrangement rather than searching for new materials. The discovery has inspired global research into twisted van der Waals materials and has applications in superconductivity and quantum computing.
