Some of the world’s most powerful figures in tech and media turned heads on the red carpet Sunday night as they arrived for the 11th annual Breakthrough Prize ceremony in Santa Monica, California.
Dubbed the “Oscars of Science,” the glitzy event celebrated landmark achievements in physics, life sciences, mathematics, and beyond—while also offering a rare glimpse into the personal lives of billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Rupert Murdoch, and Jeff Bezos.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, 40, attended the awards with his wife Priscilla Chan. The couple, known for their philanthropic efforts, posed for photographers with smiles and subtle flair—Zuckerberg sported a sleek black tuxedo and wore Meta’s latest AI smart glasses.
He showcased the company's AR innovation, dubbed Orion, which "overlays digital icons and content onto a user's field of vision," a technology Meta claims rivals high-end mixed reality headsets.
Priscilla Chan complemented the futuristic accessory with an elegant black dress and jacket, standing proudly beside her husband.
Meanwhile, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, 68, walked the carpet with his girlfriend Paula Hurd. The couple have been linked publicly since Gates' high-profile divorce from Melinda French Gates in 2021 after 27 years of marriage.
A source told Daily Mail, “Bill's newly found love came less than a month after he divulged his shattered relationship with 60-year-old Melinda, calling the unexpected divorce ‘the mistake I most regret.’” Hurd stunned in a floor-length, one-shoulder black gown with a thigh-high slit.
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch, 92, also made a rare red carpet appearance with wife Elena Zhukova, 67. The couple looked poised as Murdoch donned a classic black suit and tie, while Zhukova chose a dark blue off-the-shoulder gown.
Jeff Bezos, 60, Amazon founder and aerospace entrepreneur, appeared with longtime partner Lauren Sánchez. Sánchez wore a figure-hugging red gown, stealing attention beside Bezos’ crisp black suit.
The star-studded evening unfolded as Donald Trump trended online for sharing a video theorizing he was "deliberately tanking" the U.S. stock market to push the Federal Reserve toward interest rate cuts. The viral clip described the move as a “genius chess strategy” to refinance trillions in U.S. debt—a claim Warren Buffett's firm Berkshire Hathaway swiftly denied.
Back inside Barker Hangar, the spotlight remained on the scientific community. The Breakthrough Prize awards distributed millions of dollars in prize money to researchers behind groundbreaking discoveries in science and technology.
The event served as a platform for innovators pushing humanity forward, and as a glamorous meeting ground for the moguls funding their futures. From AI innovation to space exploration and global philanthropy, the presence of these billionaires was both symbolic and celebratory.
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