# International Congress of Basic Science in Beijing > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/international-congress-of-basic-science-in-beijing > Updated: 2026-08-14T03:46:04.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2. The 2026 International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS) opened in Beijing on August 9, themed ‘Advancing Basic Science for Humanity.’ The two-week event brings together over 1,000 participants, including scientists, researchers, and students from more than 30 countries. The congress features over 500 academic sessions covering fields such as mathematics, physics, engineering, materials science, and life sciences. Specialized programming includes ‘Mathematics Night,’ ‘Physics Night,’ and ‘Engineering Night,’ alongside a newly launched Women Scientists Forum. Prominent attendees include Fields Medalists Shing-Tung Yau, Maxim Kontsevich, Martin Hairer, and Caucher Birkar, as well as Turing Award laureate Robert Tarjan. During the opening, Tsinghua University President Li Luming emphasized the importance of fundamental disciplines and the use of AI to accelerate discovery. ICBS President Shing-Tung Yau noted that while AI can assist in mathematical deduction, it cannot replace ‘human creativity and intuition’ in scientific pursuit. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-14: International Congress of Basic Science opens in Beijing The 2026 International Congress of Basic Science opened in Beijing, gathering hundreds of global scholars and prestigious award winners to discuss fundamental research and the role of AI in science. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/international-congress-of-basic-science-opens-in-beijing-1 ### 2026-08-09: International Congress of Basic Science opens in Beijing The 2026 International Congress of Basic Science has opened in Beijing, featuring over 500 sessions and 1,000 participants discussing frontier topics like AI, quantum information, and mathematics. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/international-congress-of-basic-science-opens-in-beijing --- Cite as: International Congress of Basic Science in Beijing. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/international-congress-of-basic-science-in-beijing