Over 80 Nobel Prize winners endorse Joe BIden, citing his deep 'appreciation for using science to find solutions'

A group of 81 Nobel laureates have endorsed Joe Biden’s campaign for the White House in a letter published on Tuesday, writing in part: “Joe Biden has consistently demonstrated his willingness to listen to experts.”

The scientists celebrated the former vice president’s “long record of public service” in the open letter that was reportedly organised by Bill Foster (D—IL), the only physicist serving in Congress.

“At no time in our nation's history has there been a greater need for our leaders to appreciate the value of science in formulating public policy," read the letter, penned by winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Medicine and Physics. “During his long record of public service, Joe Biden has consistently demonstrated his willingness to listen to experts, his understanding of the value of international collaboration in research and his respect for the contribution that immigrants make to the intellectual life of our country."

The letter comes as Donald Trump faced increasing criticism over his administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed 180,000 Americans and spread across the nation at a faster, deadlier rate than many other countries around the world.

While the Trump administration has called for schools to reopen amid the pandemic and for states to ease coronavirus restrictions in an effort to ramp up the economy, Mr Biden and Democratic leaders have called for a comprehensive national plan to combat the novel virus.

Mr Biden has urged the president to enforce a nationwide mask mandate, and in a March interview with CNN the former vice president told Mr Trump to “stop talking and start listening to the medical experts”.

The former vice president has said he would “listen to the scientists” and experts should the novel coronavirus reemerge in such a way that it would require much of the US to shut down once again. Mr Trump has meanwhile used those comments to attack his opponent, claiming Mr Biden wanted to undermine the US economy.

National surveys have shown a large majority of Americans — nearly seven out of 10 — feel embarrassed by the country’s response to the pandemic, with other recent polls showing the novel coronavirus remains a top concern among voters, more so than crime or many other issues Mr Trump has attempted to focus on in recent weeks.

Elizabeth Blackburn, who won the 2009 Novel Prize in medicine, said in a statement: “Now more than ever, our country needs elected leaders who make decisions based on science.”

“Joe Biden is the strong, compassionate leader we need to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic,” she added. “He'll listen to the scientific and medical community to create solutions that will finally get us out of this deadly pandemic and improve the health of the American people."