Science for Good: World Science Day for Peace and Development

Posted On: 2023-11-10 13:07:15

Science just like everything in the world has good and bad utility. It has been used to cause large-scale destruction and harm. But on the other hand, science has also been used to improve the lives and conditions of human beings.

 

November 10 is annually celebrated as World Science Day for Peace and Development. The annual observance highlights the significant role science plays in our society. It also focuses on the importance and practical application of science in our daily lives.

 

The theme for the year 2023 is ‘Building Trust In Science’. Social media has given everyone a platform to air their views. But at the same time, it has given a platform for people to spread misinformation. Climate Change Denial, Anti-Vaxxers, and Flat Earthers are only a click away from us. Therefore, it has become extremely important to build trust in science once again. This is the core motive of the theme.

 

To celebrate World Science Day for Peace and Development, we’ll be looking at how science has made our lives better and easier.

 

Printing Press

 

 

Before the invention of the printing press, books were hand-written. As hand-written books took an intense amount of labour to produce, books were expensive and only accessible to the rich. This all changed in the 15th century when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. With the printing press, books could be produced faster, which made books cheaper in the market. As the cost of books decreased, they became accessible to even the poorer people. Today, books can be purchased by almost anyone with an average income, which is all thanks to Johannes Gutenberg.

 

Vaccines

 

 

According to the estimates of the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccines save between 3.5-5 million people every year. Vaccines were also responsible for curbing the COVID-19 pandemic. The earliest form of vaccine can be traced back to 10th Century China. But officially, the credit for the invention of the vaccine has been given to Edward Jenner, who used cowpox to develop a smallpox vaccine. Through vaccination, WHO has been able to eradicate the smallpox disease. 

 

Refrigerator

 

 

Keeping your food fresh is a challenge most humans today are unaware of. But back in the day, it was difficult to keep your food fresh. However, artificial forms of cooling have made it possible to preserve food for longer times. The first domestic refrigerator was invented in 1913 by Fred Wolf, an appliance which we can’t even imagine living without.

 

Airplane

 

Travelling by land or sea is extremely time-consuming. It can take many days or even months to reach the destination. But with the invention of aeroplanes by the Wright Brothers, we can today travel long distances within hours. This has significantly changed our world and our way of transportation. People can be instantly rescued from warzone regions and even relief materials can be given to disaster-struck regions in an instant.

 

Internet

 

 

As mentioned earlier, the Internet can be used for the spread of misinformation. But it is an application for connecting people cannot be ignored. Through the internet, the entire world’s knowledge has been transported to our screens. It has made us more aware of the world’s issues and also given voice to the oppressed communities. 

 

Child Help Foundation believes in the power of science for good. It has established many Mini Science Centres to make science easier for students to learn.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read the article. Make sure to share it with all your friends and family members. 

 

AUTHOR: Adil Sayyad