Young scientists at the "Inventing the Future" Symposium discussed science development pathways

On November 4, the "Scientist of the Future" research relay took place at the National Centre RUSSIA in Moscow as part of the International Symposium "Inventing the Future." Representatives from various disciplines discussed the synthesis of science and science fiction works, the importance of environmental activities in modern society, as well as challenges facing science, and other key topics.

"Today, we’re talking about both science and science fiction. Years ago, I read the Strugatsky brothers' work "A Billion Years Before the End of the World," which made a huge impression on me: it’s still incredibly relevant. In the story's conclusion, one of the characters says that today we have entered into a struggle with nature. Fighting nature is foolish, and fearing nature is shameful. I believe we need to understand nature's laws. And if we can understand them, we will be able to live in harmony with nature," said Andrei Fursenko, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation.

Candidate of Sciences in Philology, professor Rostislav Kovalevsky suggested discussing science and nature through the human perspective: "If we talk about science and humanity, the issue of using nature for humanity is the key one. Part of this human nature includes qualities such as vanity and hedonism. But even with these negative traits and the strong influence of the external world on people, Russian history has so many examples — like Minin and Pozharsky, Susanin, Matrosov — where people, motivated by other values rather than money or vanity, risked their lives to achieve something for their country. This multifaceted nature of humanity is one of the most vital components of human society."

Anton Robert, Head of the AGROCON project and Chair of the RUDN University Student Research Council, in his turn, shared his valuable experience of interacting with students. 

"Our students, studying within their respective fields, answer questions and perceive the world through the lens of the sciences they study. I’m a specialist in agricultural sciences, and the issue of interaction with nature is always on my agenda. Once, this question was addressed by the prominent scientist Michurin, whose well-known statement about ‘taking nature’s gifts’ is widely recognized. It’s interesting that students and young researchers respond differently to this phrase. Some interpret it as a predatory attitude, as if we are seizing something by force and disrupting the natural order. Others, conversely, see it as an invitation to dive deeper into exploration and understanding," he said.

Speaking about the challenges facing scientific disciplines, Andrei Volyntsev, Chair of the Young Scientists and Specialists Council at the Roscosmos State Corporation, emphasized that space is where humanity should strive to reach, and making space more accessible and serving humanity is primarily the mission of nuclear space energy. In turn, Candidate of Sciences in Physics and Mathematics, Director of the Biomedical Engineering Institute at MISIS University Fedor Senatov highlighted the need to equip people with modern tools for diagnosing and treating socially significant diseases.

The International Symposium "Inventing the Future" is being held from November 4 to 6. Participants include scientists, researchers, futurists, science fiction writers, and representatives from government bodies from 101 countries, including Russia, India, Italy, Iran, China, the UAE, Serbia, the USA, and France. The program features over 60 sessions across four tracks: "Future of Human," "Future of Technology," "Future of Multipolar World," and "Future of Civilizations." The program and event broadcasts are available at the website future.russia.ru.

The International Symposium "Inventing the Future" is the first event of the National Centre RUSSIA, which was established on July 1, 2024, by the order of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. The Centre aims to preserve the legacy of the International RUSSIA EXPO and showcase the achievements of the country and its citizens. The work of the Centre involves federal authorities, state companies, corporations, and regions.