The Chinese edition of a book by German molecular biologist Patrick Cramer was launched at a seminar in Beijing on Monday, bringing together industry experts to discuss how science can help address major global challenges.

Cramer, president of the Max Planck Society, published his book Zukunftswelten (Questions of the Future) in March 2024. The Chinese edition is the book’s first foreign-language translation.

In a keynote speech, Cramer introduced the book and shared his reflections on the future of science, interdisciplinary research and international cooperation. He emphasized the importance of basic research, original innovation and open collaboration in advancing scientific progress.

Cramer noted that many issues that may seem distant today are becoming critical challenges shaping the future of humanity. These include the role of clean energy in mitigating climate change, the societal impact of artificial intelligence and the effects of medical advances on aging populations.

Experts echoed his views during a roundtable discussion, saying that global challenges such as climate change, population aging, artificial intelligence governance and biodiversity protection cannot be addressed by any single discipline or country.

They said strengthening interdisciplinary dialogue, deepening cooperation in basic research and promoting international scientific and technological exchanges are essential not only for scientific advancement but also for tackling shared global challenges.

The seminar, themed "Interdisciplinary Dialogues for the Science of Tomorrow," was sponsored by the Bureau of International Cooperation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and organized by the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.