The 3rd World Laureates Forum concludes in Shanghai

The World Laureates Forum (WLF), an annual gathering of leading scientists from around the world, concluded its 3rd edition in Shanghai on Sunday.

A panel discussion at the opening ceremony of the 3rd World Laureates Forum in Shanghai, China, October 30, 2020. /World Laureates Association

From biology to green chemistry, astrophysics to artificial intelligence, a marathon of speeches was spaced out over the course of three days, featuring more than 130 laureates of top scientific awards.

Despite the impact of COVID-19, this year's forum attracted a record number of participating scientists, including 61 Nobel laureates.

Michael Levitt, winner of 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, addresses a group of teenagers at the Sci-T Conference in Shanghai, China, October 31, 2020. /World Laureates Association

Speakers shared the latest developments in their fields, and this year many scientists said they had been involved with COVID-19 research since the beginning of the pandemic.

"Single-cell genomics is our expertise. When we realized that it could accelerate the search for the effective neutralizing antibodies against COVID-19, we were thrilled," said Xie Xiaoliang, an Albany Prize winner, explaining how his team extracted neutralizing antibodies from recovered coronavirus patients' plasma, a finding which he believes could offer hope for the development of effective drugs.

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Parallel to the talks of established scientists were a series of young scientist forums, a Teens-in-the-Academy Forum and a Sci-T Conference which were designed in accordance with the WLF's mission to support young talents.

A child takes notes at the Sci-T Conference. /World Laureates Association

Teens in the Academy Forum on November 1. /World Laureates Association

Initiated in 2018 by the World Laureates Association and organized by the Shanghai municipal government, the WLF is held every October under the permanent theme "Science and Technology, for the common destiny of mankind."