In a recent interview following the Hong Kong Laureate Forum, German astrophysicist and 2020 Nobel Prize winner Reinhard Genzel discussed his discovery of Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way, and shared his broader views on science, society, and global politics.
The Pursuit of Truth in the Age of Social Media
Genzel emphasizes that scientific truth is derived from a rigorous combination of theoretical and experimental physics, rather than direct observation of impossible phenomena like entering a black hole. He expresses concern that humanity is losing its appreciation for truth, attributing this decline partly to social media. He argues that complex truths cannot be conveyed in one-minute videos; true understanding requires significant time and dedication—sometimes months of study—whether in physics or complex geopolitical conflicts.
The Limits of Knowledge and New Mysteries
Genzel operates on a philosophy of pragmatism: he does not worry about questions that cannot be answered, such as what lies inside a black hole. Instead, he focuses on refinable knowledge. He notes that science is constantly evolving; for instance, data from the James Webb Space Telescope recently upended existing theories about black hole formation, revealing that massive black holes existed much earlier in the universe than previously thought. Solving this new mystery will likely take decades.
Geopolitics and the Future
The interview also covered Genzel’s political outlook:
- Europe: He stresses the need for European unity to ensure survival and scientific leadership.
- United States: Genzel is critical of Donald Trump, stating that the current political direction is damaging the country. He noted that his own green card was revoked following Trump’s election victory.
- China: He advocates for cautious collaboration with China, suggesting that as long as there is some respect for thought and culture, scientific partnership should be pursued.
- Artificial Intelligence: While acknowledging AI’s growing role, Genzel remains cautiously pessimistic about its ability to make discoveries on par with human intuition and curiosity.
Mentoring question
In a world dominated by short-form content and quick answers, are you investing the necessary time and deep focus required to truly understand complex problems, or are you accepting simplified narratives as the truth?