By Muhammad Abubakar
Omar Yaghi, a Palestinian-born scientist whose journey began in a refugee family in Jordan, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the honour earlier today, recognising his pioneering work in designing and developing new classes of materials that have revolutionised the field of chemistry.
Speaking to reporters while in transit between flights, Yaghi reflected on his humble beginnings: “My parents could barely read or write. It’s been quite a journey. Science allows you to do it.”
Born to Palestinian refugees who fled to Jordan, Yaghi’s journey to scientific excellence was far from straightforward. As a young student, he was drawn to the beauty of chemistry, a fascination that eventually led him to develop metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), materials now vital in energy storage, clean water production, and environmental sustainability.
Yaghi described his motivation as both artistic and intellectual: “I set out to build beautiful things and solve intellectual problems.”
For many across the Arab world, especially Palestinians, Yaghi’s achievement serves as an inspiring reminder that brilliance can arise from the most difficult beginnings.