2021 Science World

Everyone agrees that the past year has been a nightmare of disasters. Natural disasters, racism, wars... But of course, the most important was the coronavirus pandemic, which spread all over the world and closed everyone home, shook economies and spread fear.

In March, laboratories around the world closed. Experiments were halted, samples were frozen, and research calendars were postponed to unspecified dates. When the laboratories started to open again, we witnessed that science was applied differently. A single virus has led to huge changes. Some of these changes are good, some are bad. But the truth is, there's no going back now!

1- FASTER!

The technology of the 21st century made science go virtual and work faster. The latest COVID-19 findings were shared online at the speed of light, with everyone instantly finding out every new news thanks to the mobile phones they were holding. Although this speed makes discoveries happen more quickly, some scientists think going so fast can have side effects. According to Kimmelman, the solution lies in the joining forces of research teams and their work in perfect coordination. Some teams conducting clinical trials are able to do so. The RECOVERY clinical trial programme, carried out at Oxford University, works in coordination with all hospitals in the UK. The World Health Organization's Solidarity experimental program has participation from more than 20 countries. Both trials play a vital role in determining the effectiveness of COVID-19 treatments. Nevertheless, these accelerated methods are an exception for COVID-19. In scientific research, the norm remains in the form of small-scale studies in which low-quality evidence is obtained.

2- MORE ACCESSABLE!

Before the pandemic, the newest developments in a certain field of science were shared with annual conferences, which usually take place in centers in major cities. This method was a national hurdle. Low-income scientists who had just stepped into the world of science, who did not have the budget to cover the entrance fee, travel and accommodation costs, were difficult to participate in. In 2020, with covid-19 in the event of covid-19, conferences began to be held virtually and more scientists from all over the world could participate in these conferences. In April, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) became the first institution to try the virtual conference format. In total, 62,000 people from 140 different countries signed up for the conference. This was more than double the usual turnout. AACR and other institutions plan to hold hybrid conferences where virtual and real meetings are used together to keep participation high in the future.

3- MORE DIRECT!

At a time of massive uncertainty, thanks to social media, society has more easily accessed the explanations of scientists. In February, Natalie Dean, a biostatistics expert studying infectious diseases at the University of Florida, began tweeting lengthyly explaining the emerging key concepts of COVID-19 models and its spread. Dean had around 200 followers before the pandemic, a figure that grew rapidly throughout the year to 85,000. When asked why he stands out like that, Dean says, "It's very difficult for society to distinguish between good and bad information." "I wanted to help. That's what the urgency of the situation entailed."