In the United States, 82 Nobel laureates in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, and economics announced their support for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in the upcoming elections on November 5th.

According to The New York Times (NYT), these scientists who have won Nobel Prizes penned a joint letter stating their endorsement for Kamala Harris in the US presidential race. Among them is Turkish Prof. Dr. Daron Acemoğlu, who won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics on October 14th. In the letter, the 82 scientists expressed their concerns that if Republican candidate Donald Trump were to become president, it could hinder progress in areas such as science, technology, and climate change.

“THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION YET” The letter emphasized that this election is the most critical presidential election to date for both the United States and the scientific community. It praised Harris for recognizing that the significant improvements in living standards and average life expectancy over the past 200 years were largely due to advancements in science and technology. The letter also commended Harris for acknowledging the role immigrants play in the advancement of science and technology. Columbia University Professor and Nobel laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz, who prepared the draft of the endorsement letter, drew attention to Trump’s proposed cuts to science budgets and anti-science rhetoric, stating, “I hope this serves as an awakening for people.”