Omar Yaghi Reflects on Humble Beginnings, Climate Action in Nobel Banquet Speech
Renowned chemist Omar M. Yaghi delivered an inspiring address at the Nobel Prize banquet on December 10, 2025, highlighting the transformative power of science, personal resilience, and global cooperation.
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Speaking after receiving the Nobel Prize in Chemistry alongside co-laureates Susumu Kitagawa and Richard Robson, Yaghi thanked the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Nobel Foundation for what he described as an extraordinary honor.
In his speech, Yaghi celebrated the development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), materials engineered with atomic precision that can perform remarkable functions. He noted that MOFs are already being used to extract water from desert air and capture carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere, describing these advances as only the beginning of their vast potential.
The scientist reflected on his childhood in Amman, Jordan, where he grew up in a refugee family of ten children in a home without running water or electricity. He recounted how discovering drawings of molecules at the age of ten sparked a lifelong passion for chemistry, offering both direction and escape from hardship.
Yaghi shared how his early experience of water scarcity later shaped his scientific insight. Years after rushing to store water delivered intermittently to his neighborhood, he recognized a similar pattern while studying how MOFs absorb and release moisture. That realization led to innovations capable of producing clean drinking water from dry air—technology he said echoed the struggles of his youth.
Beyond scientific breakthroughs, Yaghi emphasized the broader message of connection and cooperation. He described MOFs as a metaphor for global unity, noting that their strength lies in the bonds between molecules—just as humanity’s future depends on collaboration across nations and generations.
He urged world leaders to support scientific curiosity, protect academic freedom, and encourage global talent, particularly in the developing world. Addressing climate change, Yaghi called for courage and collective action, stressing that while the science exists, decisive leadership is essential.
Looking ahead, he envisioned a future where advances in artificial intelligence make chemistry more accessible, allowing discovery to extend beyond traditional laboratories. He expressed hope for a world where no child faces the limitations he once experienced, but instead grows up in a more stable, abundant, and just society.
Omar Yaghi Reflects on Humble Beginnings, Climate Action in Nobel Banquet Speech