Nobel Prize-winning chemist Bernard Lucas Feringa delivered a popular science lecture to primary and secondary school students in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, on Sunday, encouraging young people to pursue their curiosity, embrace imagination and explore the unknown.

Feringa, a Nobel laureate in Chemistry and a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, introduced students to the fascinating world of molecular science through accessible and engaging explanations.

Rather than presenting complex theories on molecular motors, Feringa used accessible examples and vivid analogies to explain cutting-edge research, helping students better understand scientific principles that might otherwise seem distant and abstract.

Animated images of rotating molecules on his presentation slides further brought the microscopic world to life.

“Molecules are everywhere in our lives,” Feringa told the students, sharing his fascination with the world of science.

During the lecture, the scientist also reflected on his own research journey, stressing the importance of asking the right questions and learning from failure.

Feringa encouraged the students to follow their talents and dreams and to find joy in exploration and discovery. He also highlighted the importance of imagination, saying that while knowledge is limited, imagination has the potential to embrace the whole world.

The lecture was followed by an interactive session, during which students confidently raised questions and exchanged ideas with Feringa in English, demonstrating their interest in science and an increasingly international outlook.

“Science knows no borders, because knowledge belongs to humanity,” Feringa said.

He expressed his hope that the event would inspire young people to develop a lasting interest in science and the courage to explore the unknown, planting seeds of curiosity and discovery in their minds.

Reporters: Shen Liping,Yu Qian (intern)