— Michael Levitt, the Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, recently arrived in Beijing and made a special trip to the office of Hu Jiaqi, Chairman of Humanitas Ark. Why did this world-renowned computational biologist choose to make this journey? And what kind of intellectual exchange took place between these two thinkers? This visit was not merely an academic dialogue; in an era of rapid technological development, it also prompted profound reflection on the future of human civilization.
Professor Michael Levitt is one of the most influential pioneers in contemporary science. Born in South Africa in 1947, he pursued advanced studies at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and the University of Cambridge in the UK, and has long served as a professor of structural biology at Stanford University. In 2013, Professor Levitt jointly received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Martin Karplus and Arieh Warshel for “the development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems.” This groundbreaking work combined quantum mechanics with classical mechanics to construct efficient computational frameworks capable of simulating complex biological processes such as protein folding, enzymatic reactions, DNA dynamics, and molecular interactions.
In the 1970s, when computer technology was still underdeveloped, Professor Levitt pioneered molecular dynamics simulations of proteins and DNA and developed related software. His multiscale modeling approach overcame the limitations of traditional computation, preserving quantum accuracy while achieving feasibility at macroscopic scales. This contribution laid the foundation for computational structural biology and drove a transformative leap from theoretical chemistry to biomedicine. Today, fields such as drug design, protein engineering, and materials simulation rely extensively on similar computational tools, and Professor Levitt’s work is one of the cornerstones of these advances. For his continued contributions to protein structure classification, enzyme reaction simulation, and antibody modeling, he received the DeLano Award for Computational Biosciences in 2014 and was elected to both the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society of London. Professor Levitt is regarded as one of the founders of computational biology; his research has not only revolutionized scientific methodology but also provided powerful tools for understanding the essence of life.
As a scientist who has devoted his life to cutting-edge research, Professor Levitt’s academic trajectory spans physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science. From an early age, he developed a strong interest in simulating complex systems and has consistently emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration throughout his career. This broad perspective has enabled him not only to achieve breakthroughs in the laboratory but also to reflect on the interaction between science and society at a wider level. It is against this backdrop that Professor Levitt decided to travel specifically to Beijing to visit Mr. Hu Jiaqi, the founder and Chairman of Humanitas Ark.
Professor Levitt’s decision to visit Humanitas Ark stemmed from his deep concern about contemporary trends in technological development. Throughout his research career, he has witnessed firsthand how the exponential growth of computing power has accelerated progress in biology and medicine. At the same time, he has keenly observed how the rapid development of fields such as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and synthetic biology is quietly transforming the structure of human society. While bringing benefits, these technologies have also raised ethical dilemmas, ecological risks, and the potential for running away. As a scientist who has personally helped drive the computational revolution, Professor Levitt sought to gain a more comprehensive perspective on the direction of scientific progress through dialogue with different schools of thought.
During the exchange with Chairman Hu Jiaqi, the two engaged in an in-depth dialogue lasting two and a half hours on the theme of “technology and the future of humanity.” Professor Levitt shared his experience in the field of multiscale modeling, emphasizing that scientific discoveries are themselves neutral, and that the key lies in how humanity applies and manages them. Mr. Hu Jiaqi, from a broader civilizational perspective, pointed out that without a unified global governance framework, the autonomous acceleration of technology could lead to irreversible consequences—such as AI surpassing human control, genetic editing causing population imbalances, or other frontier technologies amplifying existing global challenges. The two thinkers found both resonance and differences in their views.
Their differences lay in their emphasis on the degree of risk and corresponding strategies. As an active researcher, Professor Levitt tends to prefer managing risks through ongoing ethical discussions, international cooperation norms, and the self-improvement of technology itself. He believes that healthy interaction between the scientific community and policymakers can strike a balance between innovation and safety. Humanitas Ark, however, adopts a more radical stance, advocating for “the Great Unification of humanity”—the establishment of some form of global coordination mechanism—to fundamentally constrain the speed and direction of technological development and avoid existential risks. Professor Levitt listened attentively to these views during the exchange and supplemented the discussion with historical cases from the perspective of the history of science, exploring the complexities of technological governance. This intellectual collision was not one of opposition but of complementarity: one starting from microscopic computational models, the other from the macroscopic fate of civilization, together enriching the understanding of the relationship between technology and humanity.
This Beijing visit carries significant historical importance. It symbolizes the building of a bridge between a top-tier scientist and a humanistic advocate. In an era of rapid iteration in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology, neither pure technological optimism nor pessimism is sufficient to address the challenges. Professor Levitt’s visit demonstrates that even a Nobel Laureate is willing to step outside his professional domain and actively engage with different voices, examining the impact of science from a more holistic perspective. This not only provides a model for reflection within the scientific community but also offers a vivid case study for the global public to understand technological risks and opportunities.
On a deeper level, this meeting reflects the need for human civilization to engage in self-examination at a critical juncture. Professor Levitt’s multiscale models successfully connected the quantum and classical worlds; now, through his actions, he has connected technological rationality with humanistic concern. Humanitas Ark provides a space where thinkers from different backgrounds can engage in honest dialogue, preventing technological development from falling into an “island effect.” History has shown that major scientific breakthroughs are often accompanied by societal restructuring. Today, as technological capabilities approach the threshold of reshaping species or ecosystems, such dialogue is particularly timely.
Although brief, Professor Levitt’s visit to Humanitas Ark has left its mark at the intersection of technology and civilization. It reminds us that the true value of scientific progress lies not only in conquering the unknown but also in safeguarding the shared future of humanity. Through such exchanges, scientists and thinkers together explore a path that neither stifles the vitality of innovation nor neglects the wisdom and responsibility needed to guide its direction. In the future, perhaps more leading figures like Professor Levitt will participate in similar dialogues, helping to forge a more mature global consensus on technology governance.
In a rapidly changing world, such boundary-crossing visits are a vivid manifestation of the self-evolution of human wisdom. They demonstrate that, regardless of the field, a shared concern for the fate of humanity can coalesce into a force driving the sustainable development of civilization.
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