Climate, pandemics key global challenges, says Nobel laureate

Gaurav Kanthwal

Mohali, October 14

Climate change and future pandemics should be the immediate concerns for all nations, feels Michel Mayor, Professor Emeritus at the University of Geneva’s Department of Astronomy, and 2019 Nobel Prize for Physics co-recipient.

“Life outside earth, stars and planets arouse our curiosity, but we must realise that it is becoming difficult to live on earth,” he emphasises.

The Swiss astrophysicist won the Nobel Prize along with Jim Peebles and Didier Queloz. In 1995, Mayor and Queloz discovered a planet outside the solar system, an exoplanet orbiting solar-type star 51 Pegasi b.

On India visit, the octogenarian astrophysicist says Indian scientists are among the top in the world. “I feel India is very competitive in the field of mathematics, physics and biology. It developed Covid vaccines in a short period of time, which is impressive. Its level of competence and research has been good. Many Indian students are doing PHD and research in Geneva. I feel India is on the right track,” he says.

Although Mayor has retired, he is an active researcher in astrophysics. He says the first priority of all scientists should be climate change as it is not a joke. “It is the responsibility of the mankind. It may not bring the world to an end, but some parts will be severely affected. For many prominent politicians, it is still not a priority. We need technology to change the model of energy production,” he says.