Research leading to theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter have landed three researchers the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2016.

David Thouless, a British born American Researcher shared the honors with Michael Kosterlitz-Duncan Haldane both again from USA, for their research using advanced mathematical methods to study unusual phases, or states, of matter, such as superconductors, superfluids or thin magnetic films.  The trio, this years Laureates, have opened the door on an unknown world where matter can assume strange states.

As a result of the pioneering work done by the Laureates, people have raised their hopes of future applications in both materials science and electronics as the hunt begins for new and exotic phases of matter.

David J Thouless is a research scientist at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA whereas Duncane Haldane is from Princeton University, NJ, USA.  Michael Kosterlitz is working with Brown University, RI, USA.

Nobel Prize in Physics is a yearly award given by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for those who conferred the most outstanding contributions for mankind in the field of physics.

For those interested, a collection of papers from this years Laureates can be read here