Leggett, the quantum pioneer of superfluids, dies at 87

Sir Anthony Leggett, a theoretical physicist who shared the 2003 Nobel Prize in Physics for elucidating the quantum theory of superfluids, died aged 87. He showed how helium-3 atoms pair to form a single quantum state, linking superfluidity to superconductivity and offering insights into ultracold matter, neutron stars, and broader condensed-matter physics. Born in London in 1938, Leggett studied at Oxford, taught at Sussex, then moved to the US (Illinois) and later to Canada (Waterloo). Knighted in 2004, his work reshaped understanding of matter at its lowest temperatures and continues to influence the field.