"My journey began far from any laboratory. I grew up in Amman, Jordan, in a refugee family of ten children, in a home with no running water and no electricity, sharing our space with livestock, our family’s livelihood. Hardship was everywhere. My chances for success were slim—except for the surprising ways nature reveals itself and helps us overcome. My turning point came at the age of ten, when I discovered drawings of molecules in my school library. Their beauty and mystery captivated me, and when I learned that they are the building blocks of everything, living and non-living, they ignited my passion for chemistry, and I was hooked forever. It became my escape and my direction." In his Nobel Prize banquet speech, chemistry laureate Omar Yaghi spoke about his journey to becoming a scientist and laureate. Read the full banquet speech: nobelprize.org/prizes/chemis…