Acta

Transformative Roles of Science in Society: From Emerging Basic Science Toward Solutions for People’s Wellbeing

Proceedings of the Plenary Session | 12-14 November 2018
J. von Braun, M. Sánchez Sorondo (eds)
Acta 25 | Vatican City 2020
pp. 358 | ISBN 978-88-7761-114-7

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Contents

Address of Pope Francis

Opening, Words of Welcome and Concept of the Plenary

Past President Werner Arber

Bloc 1 | Scientific Assessment of a Set of Large Global Humanities Issues

Session I | Population and Science Approaches

World Population Trends and the Rise of "homo sapiens literata"

Wolfgang Lutz

The Complementary Nature of Scientific Experimentation and Thought Experiments

Werner Arber and Marcel Weber

Discussion

Session II | Climate and Energy

Energy for the Nine Billion

Steven Chu

Energies for the Future

Carlo Rubbia

Discussion

What Must Be Sustained to Enable Sustainable Improvements in People’s Well-being?

William C. Clark

Where on Earth Are We Heading: Pliocene or Miocene?

Hans Joachim Schellnhuber

Discussion

Session III | Health

The Revolution of Personalized Medicine – Bioethical Obstacles on the Road of Technological Advances

Aaron J. Ciechanover

Organ Transplants

Francis L. Delmonico

The Three-Dimensional Architecture of the Human Genome: Understanding the Physical Mechanisms Controlling Gene Expression

José Nelson Onuchic

Contemporary Challenges in Medical Usage of Antibiotics

Ada E. Yonath

Discussion

Session IV | Ecology and Biosystems

What Should We Try to Do in an Age of Extinction?

Peter H. Raven

Science in a Post-Truth World: Hope for People and the Ocean

Jane Lubchenco

Discussion

Bloc 2 | Frontiers in Science Disciplines

Session V | Physics

Constants of Nature and Their Applications

Klaus von Klitzing

Basic Research and a Moral Responsibility of Scientists

Daniel Kleppner

Discussion

Session VI | Physics

Making the Revolutions of Quantum Technology Deliver for People and Planet

Massimo Inguscio

Science Addressing Questions Not Easily Addressed by “the” Scientific Method. The Origins of Life

Steven A. Benner

Discussion

Session VII | Astronomy, Space

The Global Sensing Revolution

Will Marshall

Small Satellites – Bringing Space Within Reach

Martin N. Sweeting

Discussion

Exoplanets and Beyond

Sara Seager

Our Place in Space and Time

John D. Barrow

Wnt Signaling as a Regulator of Cellular Endocytosis and Protein Stability

Edward M. De Robertis

Discussion

Session VIII | Biology, Genetics, Bio-Chemistry, Chemistry

Stem Cells and Tissue Regeneration

Helen M. Blau

The Role of Microscopy in Improving the Human Condition

Robert Eric Betzig

Discussion

On Gene Biology and Evolution

Takashi Gojobori

The Dependence Receptor Paradigm: When an Original Cell Death Pathway is Used as a Therapeutic Strategy Against Cancer

Patrick Mehlen

From Basic Research on Amino Acid Polymers to the Most Used Drug Against Multiple Sclerosis

Michael Sela

Discussion

Cancer Immunotherapy: Improved Treatment and Issues

Thierry Boon-Falleur

The CRISPR-Cas Technique for Gene Editing and its Impact on Society

Rafael Vicuña

Discussion

Bloc 3 | Transformative Roles of Science in Societies

Session IX | Future Science Policy | Discussion Among Leaders of Science Organizations, Policy Makers, Religious Communities and Academicians

1. Some considerations

Jean Pierre Bourguignon | President of the European Research Council

2. How Scholarship and Science Can Provide Advice to the Political Sphere

Georg Schütte | State Secretary of Education and Science, Germany

3. Promoting inclusive innovation in Latin America

Lino Barañao | Former Science Minister of Argentina

4. Some considerations

Rev. Antje Jackelén | The Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala in Sweden and Primate (inter pares) of the Church of Sweden

5. Transformative Science? Transformative University?

Jürgen Mittelstraß | Academician, The Pontifical Academy of Sciences

6. El futuro ecológico de las grandes ciudades

Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach | Archbishop Emeritus of Barcelona, Spain

7. Some considerations

Msgr. Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo | Chancellor, The Pontifical Academy of Sciences

Panelists’ Discussion with Academicians and Guest Speakers

Session X | Transformative Roles of Science, People and Education

The Role of Science in the Culture of our Time (Modern or Pre-Aristotelic?)

Antonino Zichichi

Education for a Digital Sustainable Environment

Antonio M. Battro

Science Education & Climate Change Authors

Yves Quéré

Discussion

Session XI | Conclusions of the 2018 Plenary

Self-Presentations

1. Helen M. Blau

2. Robert Eric Betzig

3. Steven Chu

4. Rev. Guy Joseph Consolmagno SJ

5. Mohamed H.A. Hassan

Commemorations

1. Günter Blobel

Edward M. De Robertis

2. Stephen W. Hawking

Martin J. Rees

3. Fotis C. Kafatos

Nicole M. Le Douarin

4. Félix Malu wa Kalenga

Vanderlei S. Bagnato

5. Vera Rubin

Martin J. Rees

Award Ceremony of the Pius XI Medal

1. Noble Ephraim Banadda

2. David M. Sabatini

3. Miriam Serena Vitiello