KARACHI: Ears pricked up, eyes popped out and jaws dropped on listening to Professor Emeritus, Unesco Science Laureate at the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, deliver his talk about ‘The Exciting World of Discovery’, organised by the English Speaking Union of Pakistan (ESUP), here on Thursday.

“The world of science is where truth is stranger than fiction. It is a world far more enchanting and fascinating than the world of fairy tales,” pointed out the esteemed scientist, who said that he has been carrying on a life-long affair with science at the (ICCBS) at the University of Karachi, which happens to be the main component of 20 research buildings and has the honour of winning many international grants for research.

“I don’t have an office there. I have a desk in the lab where I interact with students,” he added, saying that he likes to excite young minds about the wonders of science as the brightest of these minds should be selected and trained in the top universities abroad.

He also said that Pakistan should be doing that while also attracting them back by creating an enabling environment for them by offering incentives such as jobs on arrival with good salaries, research funding, access to literature, etc. Dr Atta pointed out that by 2

Says human brain is most complex object in the universe

Coming to the main topic, he spoke about various discoveries in science such as progress in biotechnology, neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence (AI), meta materials, nanotechnology, etc.

In biotechnology, he touched upon genetically modified crops with in-built pesticides, animal genes that lead to salt tolerance or the luminescent gene in fireflies that can be put into crops to see them resist pests, grow in sea water or see flowers glowing. Moving away from animals and plants, biotechnology can also lead to understanding the aging gene and stopping and reversing the aging process. More research in this field of science includes gene editing, re-engineering viruses and stem cell studies that can lead to repairing organs to treat ailments including organ failure and cancer.

Kidneys will be printed in three-dimension and people suffering from kidney failure will also be able to wear small dialysis machines, something undergoing clinical trials already.

In neuroscience, he spoke about the amazing human brain. “It is the most complex object in the universe with about 80 billion neurons and each neuron connected with some 10,000 other neurons coming to some 80 trillion connections,” he said, coming to stem cell research and its future prospects.

Next, he spoke of AI and its applications in health, agriculture and energy. Dr Atta said that through AI, there will emerge more treatment options, in cancer for example, that human doctors may have missed. He also spoke about AI winning a cancer detection contest. “Scientists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre and Harvard Medical School have developed a way to train artificial intelligence to read and interpret pathology images,” he said.

Coming to metamaterials, he spoke about materials that can bend the rays of light away to make things disappear like Harry Potter’s cloak. Such meta materials are being used in cloaking submarines and tanks.

Speaking about nanotechnology, Dr Atta had so much to tell about it leading to fascinating things such as bulletproof paper, nano filters, nano medicines, nano electronics, etc.

Earlier, while introducing the scientist in his welcome address, the President of ESUP Kalim Farooqui said that Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rahman is the most decorated scientist of Pakistan having won four civil awards by the Government of Pakistan -- the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Hilal-i-Imtiaz and the highest national civil award Nishan-i-Imtiaz. “The Austrian government has honoured him with its highest civil award, the Grosse Goldene Ehrenzeichen am Bande. He also won the highest award of China in science, the International Scientific Corporation Award,” he pointed out.

ESUP Patron-in-Chief and president of its International Council Aziz Memon and the union’s secretary general Majyd Aziz also spoke.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2023