The Gifts of Science

This tree is out of this world! Photo and art from Coolarts223 on DeviantArt.

Tis the season. Holiday gatherings, festive lights, music, and decorations galore — at home, in stores, in city, town, and community centers. It’s also a time to reconnect with old friends with calls and cards, not to mention those [add your own adjective here] typed holiday letters about everything that happened over the past year.

It’s also a time for gift giving, including to the many worthy causes out there. So, I decided to spend some time thinking about gifts. No, not the presents we put under the tree or give to our family and friends, but the gifts that we get from science and scientific research every single day.

Here are some of the gifts that science gives to help safeguard our health and improve our quality of life on a daily basis.

Our Health

• Disease Prevention and Treatment: Vaccines, diagnostic tools, antibiotics and other medications, advanced surgical techniques, physical fitness and nutritional guidelines

• Public, Occupational, and Environmental Health Safeguards: Clean air and water standards, worker health and safety regulations, material safety data sheets, personal protective equipment, food and consumer product safety regulations, disaster response and recovery, mapping and responding to epidemics​.

Technology and Innovation

• Artificial Intelligence: For better and/or for worse, a real game changer

• Everyday Devices: Smartphones, computers, tablets, the internet, Alexa (😉)

• Clean and Green Energy: Solar panels, wind turbines, and energy-efficient appliances

Environment and Sustainability

• Weather Forecasting: Satellite and meteorological science that helps predict weather and save lives

• Climate Action: Climate modeling and research to inform strategies to address climate change

• Food Security: Science to improve crop yields, disease resistance, and nutrition through genetic engineering and sustainable farming practices

Communication and Transportation

• Global Connectivity: Wireless communication and satellite technology connects people across the globe.

• Safer, Efficient, and Less Polluting Travel: Innovations in automotive, aviation, and rail industries save us time, money, and aggravation.

• GPS Devices and Other Smart Vehicle Features: When we can’t remember how to get there.

Everyday Life

• Consumer Products: From household products to LED lighting, science underpins product development that simplifies daily tasks.

• Entertainment: Audio-visual technologies that enable streaming, gaming, and virtual experiences.

Education and Knowledge Sharing

• Accessible Knowledge: The internet and online learning platforms that help us and also democratize education and information.

While we take so many of these things for granted, it’s science that consistently shapes how we live, work, and interact with the world, ensuring safer, healthier, and more connected communities. So, let’s take a moment to thank and support the science, the scientists, the research, the researchers, and the science-based agencies that help make this all possible.

Happy Holidays, dear readers.

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