Nobel Prize for Physics Winners Announced - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Serge Haroche, a French scientist, and American David Wineland were awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for physics Tuesday. The award was made for their work in quantum physics.

"The Nobel laureates have opened the door to a new era of experimentation with quantum physics by demonstrating the direct observation of individual quantum particles without destroying them," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said

in a statement on the award of the 8 million crown (1.2 million US Dollars) prize.

Physics is the second Nobel prize to be announced this year. Wedneasday the announcement for Chemistry will be made.