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Letters

Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words.
The recent Fields Medals awarded to Chinese mathematicians Wang Hong and Deng Yu have attracted considerable global attention. Their receiving one of the highest honours in mathematics has generated headlines and wider discussion about scholarly excellence and investment in mathematics.
They deserve every bit of that recognition. Their success also prompts a question that those of us in the humanities should ask: if mathematics has the Fields Medal, what do the humanities have?
In fact, mathematics has far more than the Fields Medal. The Abel Prize, established by the Norwegian government, is frequently described as mathematics’ equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Other major international honours include the Shaw Prize and the Breakthrough Prize.
Beyond mathematics, other scientific disciplines possess an equally extensive system of recognition, including the Nobel Prizes, Kavli Prizes and Lasker Awards. These prizes matter not simply because they reward excellence, but because they make scholarly excellence visible. The media explains the significance of the winners’ research, while the public learns about work that might otherwise remain known only to specialists.
The humanities have nothing quite comparable. There is the Nobel Prize in Literature, but it recognises writers rather than scholars of literature. Humanities disciplines certainly have distinguished prizes, but most remain field-specific and receive limited public recognition beyond academic circles.
Governments and universities have compelling reasons to invest heavily in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, particularly amid advances in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, medicine and climate science. The question is not whether science deserves such support but why the humanities so often receive comparatively less funding, recognition and public attention.
Humanities disciplines, including history, literature and philosophy, produce forms of knowledge whose impact is often difficult to quantify. Yet by helping us understand how people have made sense of their worlds across different times and cultures, the humanities shape how we interpret the past, understand the present and imagine the future.
Why not establish major global prizes for outstanding humanities scholarship, modelled on the ambition and prestige of the world’s great scientific prizes? Such awards could recognise transformative scholarship while bringing greater public visibility and support to the humanities.
The world has become remarkably good at celebrating those who expand the boundaries of what humanity can calculate and build. We should be equally ambitious about celebrating those who expand the boundaries of what humanity can understand.
Jack Meng-Tat Chia, Singapore
Beyblade shows toys can still grab children
I refer to the letter, “Physical toys aren’t fighting a losing battle. How’s that for hope?” (August 2). The comeback of Beyblade reminds me of when toys shaped how my peers and I spent our free time.
Today’s children risk missing out on the tactile play that once defined childhood. Once parents let them use electronic devices, many children trade toys for stretches of screen time. They become passive consumers of online content instead of creating things, competing and forging friendships with playmates.
The smartphone might be part of modern life, but it shouldn’t dominate children’s free time. In the early 2010s, before online entertainment took over, toys could easily win their attention. Beyblade’s comeback shows physical toys can still hold their own if they have strong franchises that draw in children.
Whether through competitive series such as Beyblade or superhero franchises, children often use toys as springboards for their own stories and games, allowing their imagination to run wild. A franchise might provide the characters and canon, but children make the experience their own.
We can’t turn back the clock, but we can demand better alternatives to endless scrolling. Screen-based entertainment has its place, but toys deserve a fighting chance to reclaim some of children’s free time.
Sam Ho, Yuen Long
Pay attention to elderly mental health
Recently there has been much talk about mental health issues concerning the young. How the old battle their own crises is less discussed.
By 2046, about 36 per cent of the local population will have reached the age of 65. This is an alarming figure.
It is crucial for these seniors not to be isolated or housebound as far as possible. Families must pitch in to take them out. Keeping pets or taking up hobbies would help keep their spirits up. The government must also step up support, especially for elderly living alone. We must also ensure that healthcare services are kept affordable so that the elderly are not deterred from seeking help.
Jacqueline Kwan, Sai Ying Pun


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Science

Why do the humanities not have awards like the Fields Medal or Nobel Prize?

Fields Medalists Deng Yu (first left) and Wang Hong (first right), both Chinese mathematicians, John Pardon (second left), an American mathematician, and Jacob Tsimerman, a Canadian mathematician, pose for a photograph at the opening ceremony of the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians in Philadelphia, US, on July 23. Photo: Xinhua

‘Discouraged’ at university, maths star Wang Hong spurs Chinese education debate

Chinese mathematician Wang Hong was awarded the Fields Medal on July 23. Photo: AFP

This year’s Fields Medallists (from left) Deng Yu, John Pardon, Jacob Tsimerman and Wang Hong. Photo: AFP

Fields Medallists highlight new wave of Chinese scientists leading global research

Deng Yu (far left) and Wang Hong (far right) were awarded the Fields Medals on Thursday, marking the first time Chinese mathematicians have won the honour. The other recipients for 2026 are American John Pardon (second left) and Canada’s Jacob Tsimerman. Photo: Xinhua

Founder of Moonshot AI, Yang Zhilin. Photo: Reuters

Professor Yau Shing-tung, director of the Yau Mathematical Sciences Centre at Tsinghua University. Photo: Edmond So

Liu Yifeng. Photo: Handout

Beyblade craze grips Hong Kong as fans battle it out in malls, expos and on the streets

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - OCTOBER 06, 2019 : Beyblade toys. Beyblade is a line of spinning top toys originally developed &amp; manufactured by Takara Tomy and become a sensation for kids around the world. Photo: Shutterstock Images

Beyblade X competitors battle before the finals at the Dragon Centre in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong. Photo: Chloe Loung

Most competitors in Hong Kong have cases filled with varying modifications and editions of Beyblades to optimise their chances. Photo: Chloe Loung

A Beyblade X competition held at the Dragon Centre in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, in 2026. Photo: Chloe Loung

Opinion

Readers discuss the lack of recognition for outstanding scholarship in the humanities, the lure of toys to children, and elderly mental health


Readers discuss the lack of recognition for outstanding scholarship in the humanities, the lure of toys to children, and elderly mental health.


Hong Kong children

China

Singapore

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Readers discuss the lack of recognition for outstanding scholarship in the humanities, the lure of toys to children, and elderly mental health

Readers discuss the lack of recognition for outstanding scholarship in the humanities, the lure of toys to children, and elderly mental health