Ideas of India Summit 2025: 'I Don’t Think Rocket Science is Hard' - Gautam Chattopadhyay

At the "Ideas of India" summit, Gautam Chattopadhyay shared his thoughts on the accessibility of astronomy and the difference between rocket science and everyday science. When asked if rocket science is difficult, Chattopadhyay explained, “I don’t think rocket science is hard. All of us are scientists because we try to figure out how things work.” He emphasized that even activities like cooking involve scientific thinking, calling himself a “culinary scientist” when experimenting with recipes. He also encouraged viewers to explore astronomy as a hobby, regardless of their background, highlighting that amateur astronomy is popular worldwide. With affordable telescopes, one can explore the stars, even spotting Saturn’s rings or Jupiter’s moons. However, Chattopadhyay addressed the challenge of light pollution, especially in cities like Mumbai, suggesting that to truly appreciate the cosmos, people should venture to darker areas to witness the Milky Way and its billions of stars, reminding us of our smallness in the vast universe.