The spirit of openness, a call for cooperation and the shared pursuit of knowledge took center stage at the 2025 International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS 2025) that opened in Beijing on July 13.

The event brought together extraordinary minds, proving that science knows no borders. This year’s participants include four Fields medalists, three Nobel laureates, two Turing Award winners, and six recipients of the newly established 2025 Basic Science Lifetime Achievement Award.

Among those honored were Samuel C.C. Ting, Steven Chu, David Gross, Robert Tarjan, Shigefumi Mori and George Lusztig, all celebrated for their groundbreaking contributions to fundamental science. Alongside them, more than 80 academicians from China and abroad, the representatives of over 10 national mathematical societies, and nearly a thousand scholars, students and experts from universities and research institutions worldwide gathered to witness the opening of this prestigious scientific event.

In his opening speech, Professor Shing-Tung Yau, Fields medalist and ICBS president, spoke about the congress's vision. “This is precisely the purpose of the ICBS,” he said. “To build a truly free, open and inclusive global platform for exchange, transcending boundaries and language barriers — using science as a bridge to ignite, integrate and elevate the world's most creative ideas.”

During the highly anticipated award ceremony, each recipient reflected on their journey in science. Nobel laureate Samuel C.C. Ting, 89 years old, recalled over five decades of discovery. “Experiments are of fundamental importance to the advancement of knowledge,” he said. “Only when an experiment contradicts theory will knowledge advance. The advancement of physics depends on the close collaboration between theorists and experimentalists.”

Ting still leads a team of scientists from 16 countries aboard the International Space Station, probing the theories of cosmic ray. He added, “Over the years, it has been my privilege to collaborate with many outstanding Chinese physicists, who have made significant contributions to our research.”

2025 Basic Science Lifetime Award Laureate Professor Shigefumi Mori, attending the ICBS for the first time, expressed admiration for the tremendous development of Chinese mathematics. He noted with delight that among the ICBS speakers were many renowned colleagues and friends, emphasizing the pleasure of reuniting with these distinguished scientists.

Fields medalist Caucher Birkar encouraged young researchers to participate in academic activities and seize the rare opportunity of in-depth exchange with world-class scholars.

The ICBS was initiated by Professor Shing-Tung Yau in 2023 and is held annually, with the theme "Advancing Science for Humanity." Over two weeks, nearly 1,000 scholars and students—including over 400 world-leading scientists—will gather at the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications to engage in academic discourse across three foundational domains: mathematics, physics, and information science and engineering.

The congress is hosting more than 500 academic sessions, including plenary talks, basic science lectures, and satellite conferences with leading international scientists delivering keynote lectures on basic and frontier sciences, sharing the latest breakthroughs and promoting interdisciplinary innovation.

The topics span every branch of basic science, as well as emerging intersections, particularly the theoretical frontiers of AI, such as generative AI, multimodal learning, computer vision and robotics, and model innovations. AI-driven interdisciplinary research in mathematics, life sciences, and physical modeling is also a highlight.