2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Scientists Honoured for “Hermione’s Handbag”-Like Molecular Frameworks

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi for developing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) intricate molecular structures that can store vast amounts of substances within incredibly tiny spaces. Their invention has drawn comparisons to Hermione Granger’s magical handbag from the Harry Potter series, a whimsical analogy that captures the essence of their discovery: small on the outside but astonishingly spacious within.

MOFs are crystalline materials built by linking metal ions with organic molecules, forming porous networks with enormous internal surface areas. A spoonful of such a material can contain an internal surface equivalent to several football fields. This property allows them to trap gases, purify air, harvest water from arid environments, and even contribute to carbon capture technologies aimed at fighting climate change.

According to the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, the trio’s work represents a turning point in material science. By introducing reticular chemistry, a method of connecting molecular building blocks into designed frameworks, the scientists have opened pathways to tailor materials for specific needs — from energy storage and catalysis to environmental sustainability.

The “Hermione’s handbag” comparison came from a committee member who described the molecules as “ordinary in size but extraordinary in capacity.” Like the fictional bag that could hold endless objects, these frameworks can host and release vast quantities of gases and liquids in ways that were once thought impossible.

Professor Omar Yaghi, from the University of California, Berkeley, was among the first to demonstrate practical uses for MOFs, including devices that extract drinking water from desert air. Professor Susumu Kitagawa, of Kyoto University, and Professor Richard Robson, from the University of Melbourne, have also been central to refining and expanding the chemistry behind these structures.

Beyond the scientific prestige, the award highlights a global shift toward designing materials that address urgent human and environmental challenges. These molecular frameworks could redefine how we think about storage, sustainability, and the invisible architectures that shape the modern world.

Just as Hermione’s enchanted bag reimagined what was possible, Kitagawa, Robson, and Yaghi’s discovery invites us to rethink the potential hidden within the smallest spaces of matter, a reminder that the magic of science often lies in its imagination.