Palestinian Scientist Omar Yaghi Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry for Groundbreaking Work
Recognized for developing metal-organic frameworks that extract water from desert air and capture harmful gases.
Stockholm / Amman / Berkeley – Palestinian-American scientist Dr. Omar Yaghi has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, marking a historic moment for the scientific community and the Palestinian diaspora. Born in a refugee camp in Jordan, Dr. Yaghi shares the prize with Susumu Kitagawa of Japan and Richard Robson of Australia for their pioneering invention of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) a new class of materials with transformative environmental applications.
These MOFs are highly porous structures capable of capturing and storing gases like carbon dioxide, filtering toxic substances, and even extracting water from extremely dry air — making them a powerful tool in the fight against climate change and environmental degradation.
According to the Nobel Committee, the discovery of MOFs could help address some of the world’s biggest challenges, including water scarcity, air pollution, and the global carbon crisis. “These materials act like miniature sponges,” said Committee Chairman Heiner Linke, “with cavities that can trap gases much like rooms in a hotel welcome guests.” He even likened them to Hermione’s magical handbag in the Harry Potter series small in size but capable of holding far more than expected.
In a phone interview after the announcement, Dr. Yaghi said he was “surprised, honored, and overwhelmed with emotion.” Reflecting on his journey, he added, “I grew up in very humble conditions, sharing a small room with many others, often alongside livestock. My parents were illiterate. Science gave me the chance to rise above those circumstances. It is the greatest equalizer in the world.”
Dr. Yaghi was born in Amman, Jordan, in a refugee camp and moved to the United States at age 15. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and is currently a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
His achievement has sparked widespread celebration, especially across the Arab world. King Abdullah II of Jordan congratulated him on social media, calling Dr. Yaghi’s success “a source of national pride.”
Palestinian journalist Mohammed El-Kurd also weighed in, saying the recognition of Yaghi’s work serves as a powerful reminder of the potential lost in Gaza due to the ongoing conflict. “Hundreds of scholars have been killed in Israeli attacks,” he noted. “There could have been many Nobel laureates from Gaza too.”
Speaking about what drives him, Dr. Yaghi concluded: “My mission was to create beauty through science and solve intellectual challenges. That’s what led me here.”
