Today's Edition
DUBAI (WAM)
Nobel Prize-winning scientists have stressed that while science provides the tools to address humanity’s greatest challenges, turning knowledge into solutions requires direct political support, stronger scientific literacy, and long-term investment in fundamental research.
Speaking during a session titled “Can Science Save the Earth?,” at the World Governments Summit 2026, which opened in Dubai on Tuesday and runs for three days under the theme “Shaping Future Governments,” the scientists examined the role of science in confronting global challenges, including climate change, human health and energy security.
The session was moderated by Omar Sultan AlOlama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, UAE, Vice Chair of the World Governments Summit.
The panel featured Prof. Steven Chu, Nobel Laureate in Physics (1997), Professor of Physics, of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, and of Energy Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Prof. Roger Kornberg, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (2006), Professor of Medicine, Stanford University, Prof. Serge Haroche, Nobel Laureate in Physics (2012), Professor of Quantum Physics, Collège de France.
Steven Chu described science as a cornerstone of social stability, noting that adopting emerging technologies often requires supportive policies despite their high initial costs.
He highlighted growing challenges related to human health, particularly as populations age worldwide, warning of rising economic pressures and underscoring the importance of prioritising scientific research in this field.
The discussion revealed differing views on AI’s ability to mimic scientific creativity.
Chu called for humility in the face of rapidly advancing machines, pointing to a long history of underestimating their capabilities. He urged that collaboration with AI, as a powerful tool rather than a replacement, represents the most realistic path forward.
Serge Haroche said genuine creativity stems from human passion, ambition and emotion, neurochemical processes that machines can’t reproduce.
Kornberg added that many of the most significant scientific breakthroughs emerged from challenging established knowledge, a path that data-trained systems may struggle to follow.
Haroche also emphasised the role of an innate “sense of beauty” and symmetry in nature as a defining trait of great physicists.
The panel also explored how science can be better integrated into policymaking and how to build sustainable, competitive research ecosystems.
Chu stressed the importance of having scientists in senior decision-making roles to ensure real policy impact, saying researchers must be “at the main decision-making table.”
He cited his own experience as the first scientist to serve as a cabinet minister in the US government.
Moreover, Kornberg urged small and mid-sized countries not to limit themselves to applying science developed elsewhere, but to invest in domestic fundamental research to retain top scientific talent and prevent brain drain, calling researchers “the most valuable natural resources of all.”
The scientists agreed that curiosity-driven basic research remains the most important source of transformative discoveries, and that funding it is a sovereign responsibility of governments, given its long timelines and the private sector’s limited ability to absorb its risks.
