In 1975, I watched the film Stardust, and Adam Faith said, “I supply the birds, the pills and the pot.” And I thought, “I want that.”

I was a huge daydreamer and imagined myself as a successful general leading his troops into battle.

I dreamt of being an astronomer, I had a series of How and Why Books on the planets and the stars.

I just wanted to work in music. I didn’t want a real job.

Diversifying means going abroad…Be in another culture, speak a different language, see how other people think. Leave and then come back.

I never listened to any noise around me. I listened only to my gut feeling and did what I should have

I think that it is necessary to implant in children the love for science from the very beginning, and mostly the love for asking questions about the universe, for example why does the sun rise in the morning? Or what allows life on earth? Why earth is so unique compared to the moon? Or about our own body and evolution: what happened to us?

what I'm really worried about and concerned is the lack of the voice of the leadership.

I abandoned surgery, I abandoned medicine. The only person I consulted was my wife when I said ‘Listen, next month, we’re not going to have a salary. On the contrary, we’re going to take all our savings and waste it on tuition fees.’ That’s it. That’s what I wanted.

The culture in the East is a little bit strange to me. People are too nice, they’re very obedient and do not challenge authority. I think you should be a little more chaotic, rude and daring.