Disappointingly to some, his presentation, titled "to boldly go: My life in physics", made no mention of popular topics such as time travel or aliens that he has weighed in on in the past.

If we live in a typical universe, then it ought to have physical laws and constants that optimise the production of black holes. It is not yet known whether our universe fits the bill.

This direct connection to all our problems and promises is what makes chemistry stand out and elevates it from its reductionist roots in physics.