7-9 October 2020 – The 2020 Pontifical Academy of Science plenary is guided by the idea that the role of science is critical for the survival of humanity – in view of the SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 crisis probably more so than ever. The conference also addresses interlinkages between health, large-scale risks for people, and planetary health, as well as opportunities of science to facilitate addressing and contributing to solve them.