With the second World Laureates Forum opening tomorrow, attendees from across the world have arrived in the city.

(Michel Mayor)

The big names include Michel Mayor, winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics; Akira Suzuki, winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; and George Smoot III, winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics.

During an interview with CCTV, Michel Mayor shared his reaction after hearing from the Royal SwedishAcademyof Sciences. He said, “In the past, I was nominated several times many years ago. But this year, I did not receive any pre-announcement. I was relaxing in Spain with my family and attending some conferences, so I was completely surprised.” He also revealed that he would give a speech on the first day of the World Laureates Forum in Shanghai.

(George Smoot III)

Speaking of his plan for the forum, George Smoot III, famous for his work with John C. Mather on discovering the blackbody form and anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation, said, “This is my first time to the forum. They have various panels to discuss various things that are going on in the world and in the universe. So we will talk about the latest developments in science. We will talk about what are the exciting things in terms of healthcare, AI, and other kinds of things like that.”

The Forum will be held in the vicinity of Dishui Lake in eastern Shanghai’s Lingang area and will last until November 1, gathering the smartest minds on Earth, including 44 Nobel laureates.