Toespraak minister Gouke Moes (OCW) bij de uitreiking van de Christiaan Huygensprijs
Op maandag 13 oktober hield minister Gouke Moes (Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap) een toespraak in de Oude Kerk in Voorburg, voorafgaand aan de uitreiking van de Christiaan Huygensprijs aan sterrenkundige Martijn Oei.
Deze tekst is alleen in het Engels beschikbaar.
Dear guests, dear nominees,
Christiaan Huygens was a man driven by curiosity and practical insight. Only that can possibly explain why he not only invented the pendulum clock, but also conducted research on centrifugal force ánd designed a carriage with suspension for greater seating comfort. Just to mention a small set and simultaneously wide selection from his immense list of accomplishments.
That curiosity, in my view, is the very first starting point for any researcher - a core value of science itself. Whether you are a child, a maker, or an academic, you see something, you are amazed, surprised or dumbfounded and you set out to investigate.
Curiosity is something we are born with, yet somehow we often seem to lose it somewhere on the road to adulthood. So today, let this presentation of the Christiaan Huygens Prize be an ode to curiosity - of Huygens himself and also of the nominees.
Today we honour three nominees in the field of space sciences, in which the versatile Huygens also excelled. Huygens discovered the rings of Saturn and the moon Titan – a fact you will surely know. But less well known is that he apparently also wrote science fiction, speculating about life on other planets.
A fascinating fact, in my opinion. Not only because, for non-scientists like me, the titles of the nominees’ dissertations evoke associations with galaxies far, far away and to boldly go where no man has gone before. But also because I myself am an admirer of science fiction.
Not to worry, I’m not a Trekkie and I won’t wish the Force to be with you. But to me, science fiction is much more than an exciting story about an unknown world in a distant future. Science fiction offers the opportunity to sketch new political and social structures on a blank page - to develop innovative ideas without the technological constraints of the writer’s time period. The inquisitive mindset that drives science can also find expression in science fiction.
Moreover - and you here in this room know this better than anyone - many ideas from science fiction have become reality. Science fiction is a playground, an idea sandbox for science, where you can let your hypotheses run free and let unrestrained, unthought technologies soar through the galaxies. It is therefore unsurprising that Huygens also concerned himself with speculation and not only with the observable. And perhaps it might also be a fine hobby for you in your evening hours.
The universe offers space for science on the sub-nanometre scale, but also for the vast and the unimaginable scale of light-years. Now that we increasingly encounter boundaries on our own planet, space might be the final frontier - with perhaps limitless possibilities.
The government recognises the importance of curiosity-driven research. In space science, the tube-less telescope with which Huygens first saw Saturn’s rings no longer suffices. For deeper knowledge and understanding of the universe and its history, gigantic and ever more costly instruments and infrastructures are required. These we can only hope to develop through international cooperation.
We do so, for example, with the Einstein Telescope, which - if our plans are to proceed - will be built in the border region of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. A triangular underground observatory for the detection of gravitational waves. Quite literally a groundbreaking instrument - not only to advance our knowledge, but also with major social and economic impact for the region through the opportunities and jobs it creates. Here, curiosity goes hand in hand with strengthening the economy of the Netherlands and Europe.
For space sciences - as for all sciences - fundamental research is essential for the discoveries of tomorrow. Yet fundamental research never stands alone and cannot exist without practical knowledge, skills and insight.
Huygens was and is an inspiration in this regard as well. He combined theory and practical insight - he was both a scientist and a maker. For him, these were not separate realms. This to me especially is fascinating, and is a significant observation in a time of division between theoretical and practical education. We must value and encourage all kinds of talent and insight. Too much potential will be lost otherwise - a missed opportunity for both individuals and for society as a whole.
That is why I find it so wonderful that the Christiaan Huygens foundation, with the Christiaan Huygens Youth Prize, encourages secondary school students to create inventive projects inspired by Huygens’ boundless ideas. A scientific star whose light, even three centuries after his passing, has not yet dimmed.
Dear guests, dear nominees,
“Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic.”
A quote from science fiction writer Frank Herbert, from one of my favourite works - the legendary Dune novel from the eponymous saga.
If you don’t know it yet, I highly recommend it. “The real universe is always one step beyond logic.” That can perhaps be disheartening. Yet to me, and I’m sure you feel the same, it is also inspiring. The possibilities of our universe are endless. There is always something new to discover, to study and to explain. And that is only possible if new generations of curious minds continue to arise. People who imagine or build things that seem absurd to their contemporaries.
But nothing is as temporary as the contempt for the absurd when it is realised – chew on that one for a bit.
The Christiaan Huygens Prize crowns young scientific talent with well-deserved recognition. Young people who wish to make, create, discover - and who help our society move ever forward.
The nominees not only conduct outstanding research, they also succeed in making it understandable to fellow scientists. Thus they build bridges - not only between earthlings and the knowable universe, but also between people. In doing so, they contribute to our understanding of the starry skies above which humanity has gazed at in wonder for centuries.
While realising that we ourselves are space travellers - moving through the Milky Way, orbiting the Sun, and spinning around the axis of our beloved planet - it is a great honour to hand over the 2025 Christiaan Huygens Prize to the winner. But first, let us listen to the Chair of the jury.
Thank you very much.