2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has a 'magical' Harry Potter connection and works like Hermione Granger’s bottomless handbag

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi for their work on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a new class of molecular structures that can trap and store gases. The discoveries have been described as “ground-breaking” by the Nobel Committee, which said they “may contribute to solving some of humankind’s greatest challenges.”

Nobel scientists compare MOFs to Hermione Granger’s handbag

Olof Ramström, a member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, drew a playful comparison between MOFs and the famous handbag of Hermione Granger from the "Harry Potter" series. He told The Associated Press, “The frameworks can be compared to the timber framework of a house, and Hermione’s famous beaded handbag, in that they are small on the outside but very large on the inside.”

Nobel Scientists Harry Potter discovery

Although Kitagawa, Robson, and Yaghi worked independently, their discoveries built on one another starting with Robson in 1989. The frameworks allow MOFs to absorb and hold gases in highly stable structures. They have applications ranging from capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to extracting water from desert air.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025: Why the discovery matters

Heiner Linke, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said, “Metal-organic frameworks have enormous potential, bringing previously unforeseen opportunities for custom-made materials with new functions.” The committee also noted that MOFs could help remove perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — often called “forever chemicals” — from water, reducing environmental contamination.

Nobel Prize in chemistry

Last year, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to biochemist David Baker and computer scientists Demis Hassabis and John Jumper for developing techniques to decode and design proteins. Their work, which uses artificial intelligence, has potential to transform drug development and material creation.