82 Nobel-Prize recipients in science fields endorse Harris
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Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally on Oct. 17 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Photo: Andy Manis/Getty Images
More than 80 Nobel Prize winners from a variety of scientific fields endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, lauding her commitment to technology and research.
Why it matters: Scientific advancements and climate change responses would be undermined by former President Trump, the scientists warned during the final days of the razor-thin campaign.
- The signatories are Nobel Prize recipients in chemistry, economics, medicine and physics from the 1970s to this year.
What they're saying: "The enormous increases in living standards and life expectancies over the past two centuries are largely the result of advances in science and technology," the letter said.
- "Kamala Harris recognizes this and understands that maintaining America's leadership in these fields requires budgetary support from the federal government, independent universities, and international collaboration."
Former President Trump would undermine and jeopardize development in these key areas, they wrote.
- During his term, Trump proposed a budget that would have shrunk the National Institutes of Health by 18% and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by 17%.
- Another Trump presidency would impede responses to climate change, the Nobel winners said. Recently, he mocked climate scientists who linked this year's devastating hurricane season to warming temperatures.
Context: Many of the economics prize recipients had backed Harris' economic proposals in a letter released on Wednesday, spearheaded by 2001 winner Joseph Stiglitz, a professor at Columbia University.
- They warned that Trump's economic policies would increase national debt and lead to higher prices. The economy remains a top priority for voters this election.
Zoom in: Scientists are often inclined to focus on their research, not politics, Stiglitz told the New York Times. But this election is significant to their work.
- "I hope it's a wake-up call for people," he said. "A consequence of this election is the really profound impact that his agenda has on science and technology."
Zoom out: Scientific American magazine made its second-ever presidential endorsement in its 179-year history this cycle, backing Harris for her science, technology and climate record.
Between the lines: "Harris also recognizes the key role that immigrants have always played in the advancement of science," the letter said.
- Immigration has also become a top issue to voters — and both candidates have pledged to impose restrictive immigration, asylum and border policies.
- Trump has repeatedly disparaged immigrants in his rhetoric.
Go deeper: 23 Nobel Prize-winning economists back Harris' economic proposals
