A discussion at the New York Encounter 2025 on the role of wonder in scientific research with Martin Nowak, Professor of Mathematics and Biology, Harvard University, and Rob Phillips, Professor of Biophysics, Biology, and Physics at the California Institute of Technology, moderated by Evelyn Tang, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University

It has become increasingly difficult to pay attention to what is in front of us. We have lost the habit of marveling at things and are thus often deprived of a fundamental human experience. The speakers dialogue on the essential role that attentive observation and wonder play in scientific research and education. They also address how the practice of science, starting from the experience of awe and curiosity about nature, can evoke existential questions that lead to ultimate meaning.

This panel is sponsored by the Meaning and Mystery in Science initiative funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iaUV4QWbZcI

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