Bangalore: British Nobel Laureate Harold W Kroto today (Oct 25, 2004) said "it is extremely dangerous" that mystical and religious groups are becoming dominant in politics across the world which would eventually harm the scientific spirit of questioning in people.

"Groups who believe in mystical philosophy are now extremely dominant in political circles across the world. That is extremely dangerous," Kroto told reporters in Bangalore at the inaugural of the Asia Pacific meet on Science Education.

Kroto, a professor at University of Sussex in England, shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with American Robert F Curl Jr and Richard E Smalley for their discovery of "buckyballs', a type of soccer ball-shaped carbon molecule.

"On the other hand, science allows you to question, experiment, theory and eventually develop technology which is beneficial to people," he said, adding, "Religious groups are dependent on beliefs."

Kroto said in the last 20 years, "it is becoming less accepted by a large number of people those who question beliefs."

Stating that life had become easier now with advancements in science, he said, youngsters in the developed world were more interested now in emulating rock stars and celebrities than "taking up fundamental science" that required perseverance and hard work, besides pointing out to the lack of good teachers.

Kroto, however, added that he was unaware of the quality of science education in India.