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At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, the first venue dedicated to transformative science during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, this set of sessions examined how advances in AI and biomedical innovation are reshaping healthcare systems. Across discussions on discovery, delivery, and prevention, speakers emphasized that the central challenge is no longer technological capability, but system readiness. The convergence of data, incentives, and environmental risk is driving a shift from reactive care toward integrated and predictive health systems.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, discussions about One Sustainable Health highlighted how interconnected risks across human, animal, and environmental systems are reshaping global health. This session underscored a shift from fragmented interventions to system-level responses grounded in cross-sector collaboration.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, sessions on cities and the Frontiers Planet Prize explored how planetary health can move from scientific insight to large-scale implementation. Speakers connected planetary boundaries with urban systems, food chains, and governance structures, emphasizing that the key challenge is not knowledge but execution. The discussions highlighted the need to align finance, policy, and data to enable measurable, system-wide transformation anchored in real-world contexts.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, the antimicrobial resistance was framed as one of the most pressing yet under-recognized threats to global health systems. Speakers examined how to resolve this tension while preventing AMR from undermining modern medicine.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, this session examined how science diplomacy is evolving in a context of increasing geopolitical competition. Speakers highlighted the need to move from reactive cooperation to anticipatory engagement, embedding scientific expertise earlier in diplomatic processes. The discussion emphasized that effective science diplomacy will depend on building trust, strengthening international coordination, and enabling more inclusive global participation in shaping emerging technologies.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, this session explored how the rapid growth of AI and digital infrastructure is placing unprecedented pressure on global energy systems. Speakers highlighted the tension between scaling data capacity and maintaining grid stability, affordability, and climate goals, emphasizing the need for flexibility, new energy sources, and smarter system management.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, speakers examined the path from scientific breakthroughs to commercially viable fusion energy. The session emphasized the importance of industrialization, supply chains, and policy frameworks to scale solutions.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, this session explored how quantum technologies are transitioning from research to early application. The discussion focused on hybrid systems, global coordination, and inclusive capacity building.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, speakers examined Europe’s challenge in translating strong research into scalable innovation to ensure its competitiveness, based on the inputs from the Draghi report. The session emphasized the need to better connect funding, markets, and skills to strengthen global competitiveness.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, this session explored how space technologies are becoming essential infrastructure for communication, security, and environmental monitoring. The discussion highlighted commercialization trends and the need for faster regulatory and investment frameworks.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, this debate explored whether geoengineering should be treated as a necessary risk management tool or a distraction from decarbonization. The discussion highlighted governance challenges, systemic risks, and the urgency of maintaining focus on emissions reduction.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, this session examined the widening gap between climate commitments and implementation. Speakers emphasized that the challenge is not awareness but execution, calling for stronger accountability, effective incentives, and deeper engagement from the private sector.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, speakers addressed the growing mismatch between the pace of technological change and education systems. The session focused on modular, rapid, and industry-aligned learning models, supported by new intermediaries that can connect skills development directly to labor market demand.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, this session highlighted how omic technologies are redefining disease understanding through multi-layered biological insights. The discussion emphasized that the key bottleneck is no longer data generation, but integration, standardization, and open access needed to translate complex datasets into actionable applications.
At the Frontiers Science House in Davos, the first venue dedicated to transformative science during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, this session examined how precision biomedicine is moving from controlled trials into real-world care. Speakers highlighted the growing gap between scientific capability and system readiness, emphasizing the need to align diagnostics, data infrastructure, and regulatory models to scale personalized therapies equitably.
Drawing on the World Economic Forum’s first technology report on planetary health, created in partnership with Frontiers, this COP30 panel highlighted key takeaways for deploying ten emerging solutions at scale. Panellists emphasised shifting from self-reported data to precise earth observation, investing in digital-twin diagnostics, and embedding policy, finance, and community co-creation to ensure equitable, real-world impact for restoring planetary systems.
The Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2025 report, published by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Frontiers, highlights breakthrough innovations shaping the future of energy, information technology, and sustainability. During a panel discussion focused on the report, experts explored how fusion energy, green chemistry, and next-generation sensing systems are advancing from research to real-world impact. Key themes included AI as a cross-cutting enabler, the centrality of energy to global transformation, and the need for patient capital and societal readiness to scale these technologies.
Academic freedom is a prerequisite for scientific advancement and innovation. It serves as the cornerstone of scientific inquiry, granting scholars the unfettered ability to explore, teach, and disseminate ideas without fear of censorship or retribution. More recently, academic freedom has faced mounting political, economic, and social pressures, bringing it back into the global spotlight. Safeguarding this freedom is essential for the continued pursuit of knowledge and the betterment of society.
Participating last month at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, I had the pleasure of moderating a discussion with some of the leading voices in climate science and innovation on a subject that couldn’t be more relevant given the setting and the stakes.
The topic of discussion was the underutilization of scientific knowledge in processes geared toward policy consensus and climate action. The question on the floor was: “[If] we possess so much scientific knowledge about the causes for the climate multi-crisis and about the solutions, why then does science not play a bigger role in breaking what seems like an endless cycle of deadlocked discussions?”
In June, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Frontiers unveiled the awaited Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2024 report. Now in its 12th year, the report continues to spotlight groundbreaking technologies that are poised to influence society and address critical global challenges. This year's report is the culmination of extensive research and collaboration among leading experts and innovators, broadening the scope and deepening the analysis of the findings. It showcases technologies that are not only innovative but also have the potential to drive sustainable development and economic growth within the next three to five years. From revolutionizing connectivity to pioneering new applications of artificial intelligence (AI), the 2024 report offers a comprehensive overview of the technologies set to shape our future.
The European Parliament, through its standing committee Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA), commissioned a study on monitoring academic freedom. The study “The state of play of academic freedom in the EU member states” has been led by Peter Maassen, a participant in this Frontiers’ webinar. This follows numerous European and global organizations and networks raising concerns, calling for action, and protection against threats to academic freedom (The European University Alliance (EUA), the League of European Research University (LERU), Scholars at Risk, etc.). Several recent ad hoc events and panels on the subject have also shown the importance and urgency in addressing the matter. Yet, there is still a lack of a permanent forum for factual and constructive dialogue among scholars, academic leaders, civil society groups, and policy makers.
This year’s COP28 was a pivotal moment for the world to unite around tangible climate action and deliver realistic solutions.
Frontiers and the Frontiers Research Foundation organized several complementary panel sessions around open science and pathways towards innovative, sustainable solutions and actions featuring prominent experts and decision makers from policy, academia, and industry.
The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from 30 November to 12 December 2023. The gathering marked a critical moment for global transformative climate action as world leaders negotiated and agreed action on how to tackle climate change, limit emissions, and halt global warming.
Open science platform Frontiers and the Frontiers Research Foundation participated in COP28 to ascertain the undeniable power of open science and advance the mission to make science open so that scientists can collaborate better and innovate faster to deliver the solutions that enable healthy lives on a healthy planet.
The Falling Walls Science Summit took place from 7 to 9 November in Berlin, Germany, marking its 15th edition. Falling Walls is a leading international, interdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral forum for science discovery and scientific dialogue among leading scientists and society worldwide. The annual event serves as a catalyst for innovation, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, and promoting breakthrough thinking.
Frontiers and the Frontiers Research Foundation, in collaboration with the Falling Walls Foundation, organized two complementary sessions around the climate crisis and planetary boundary science, respectively
To foster the discussion on AI and academic, Frontiers Policy Labs and Frontiers’ publishing development department organized a live multidisciplinary panel session in October. The event featured distinguished academics from various fields of research, who are recognized for their knowledge and implementation of AI systems in their respective areas. Mathieu Denis, head of the Centre for Science Futures at the International Science Council, moderated the discussion.
In June, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Frontiers unveiled the eagerly awaited Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2023 report, marking its 11th edition. This annual report, created in collaboration with Frontiers, spotlights revolutionary technologies poised to make a positive global impact. Read by business leaders, innovators, and policymakers, it has historically predicted game-changers like CRISPR and mRNA. Since its June release, the report has attracted substantial attention, with 750+ citations in global media, 50,000 online views, and 20,000 downloads. In September, WEF and Frontiers hosted a dynamic panel discussion led by Dr. Fred Fenter, delving into key insights on these technologies' implications, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), spanning policy, governance, and societal influence. Experts shed light on the opportunities and challenges these technologies present.
We face global, existential threats. From health emergencies to climate change, we see and feel them now. These threats can be managed and reversed. But that will require political will, global collaboration, and scientific breakthroughs at a scale not yet seen. Three experts shine a light on the missing links between science and international diplomacy. They ask how we can grow consensus when public trust in science and politics is fragile. And they make the case for science diplomacy.
Robert-Jan Smits
The inside story of Plan S, the ground-breaking campaign pledge to end the restrictive paywalls around taxpayer funded scientific research. Vital scientific knowledge freed and instantly available to the many, not just the few. The campaign coalition's architect, Robert-Jan Smits, shares his account of the shocks that Plan S delivered to the publishing world, and of the progress that unfolded.
Professor Linqi Zhang,
School of Medicine, Tsinghua University
Chair of Comprehensive AIDS Research Center, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University
Chair of Global Health and Infectious Diseases Center
In this episode Jean-Claude talks to Danielle Cooper and Oya Rieger of Ithaka S+R about the cancellation of big deals between subscription publishers and university libraries.