The road to success is paved with failures, Nobel Laureate says

Professor Mario Capecchi went from a homeless child fighting for survival on the war-torn streets of Italy to a world-renowned molecular geneticist. From hunger came patience, and from failure, success, when he unlocked the mysteries of gene targeting, a feat that earned him the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Where the scientific establishment saw the "impossible," he saw necessity. The following are some of his key quotes in an exclusive interview with CGTN. 

"A failure isn't a loss," Capecchi said. "It's simply a step, an anticipated step."

He argued that in science, the question matters more than the answer. "Curiosity of asking that question – that is the most important step to actually success."

On perseverance, Capecchi underscored the role of passion. "It gives you strength, particularly when things aren't going well. I can encourage you to utilize your passion. But I can't give it to you. And that has to come from the inside."

Capecchi also warned against confrontation, saying, "Two countries shouldn't be fighting with each other. That's destructive and very difficult for the world."