by Karen Telleen-Lawton, Noozhawk Columnist (read the original in Noozhawk by clicking here)
Earth Day’s 50th anniversary passed without much fanfare, if by fanfare you picture bands, booths, and banana smoothies at Alameda Park. COVID-19 stymied physical celebrations across the globe, though local organizations sponsored virtually.
The Earth itself is cheering, basking in cleaner air and water than in decades. I have tiptoed outside in the middle of the night to greet my long-hidden friend the Milky Way.
These silver linings to the pandemic’s dark cloud are likely temporary. Nevertheless, they act as beacons of hope encouraging us to return to science as the arbiter of understanding and caring for the earth.
We can only act in the present, but scientists’ urgent present actions depend on what we have learned in the past. Yesterday’s curious scientists provide us with the building blocks we need to solve today’s problems.
Take the viral tests that are the objects of today’s applied scientists’ diligent and essential experiments. They can thank (among many others, to be sure) basic scientist Thomas Brock, who explored Yellowstone in the 1960s and noticed colorful, stringy mats of microbes surrounding and within hot springs.
National Geographic writer Maya Wei-Hass writes that in the samples he brought back to his lab, he “discovered extreme bacteria … that produce heat-resistant enzymes.” Other scientists used the bacteria to improve a process which is a key ingredient in viral tests like the ones used to track COVID-19.
Basic science (also called pure or fundamental science) is the foundation for applied science researchers exploring living systems and life processes. Both are essential, but only applied science can be adequately supported by market economics. Basic science building blocks depend on the support of society as a whole.
A 2015 MIT report described infectious disease as an example of basic research being scuttled. Michael Hiltzik quotes the report in the L.A. Times, “existing priorities and incentives are not sufficient to prepare for diseases that emerge by jumping from animals to humans in impoverished parts of the developing world.”
Basic curiosity about living creatures has improved technology down the line in amazing ways. A study of gecko toe hairs led to the design of a medical adhesive for delicate skin, according to Wei-Hass’ article. This is a brilliant example of biomimicry, which studies characteristics found in nature to solve gnarly human problems.
Digital Trends describes other cases of biomimicry. Humpback whale nodules and sharkskin have each led to designs improving life for the rest of us.
Harvard scientists wondered why humpback whale fins sported a bumpy leading edge, contrasting with aerodynamic principles, which rely on smooth lines for optimal lift and minimal drag. Analysis showed the nodules allow the whale to dive at angles up to 40 percent steeper than a smooth edge. A Canadian turbine company uses this design to generate more power at slower speeds.
Sharkskin has a unique feature that sparked curiosity. It is covered with “dermal denticles” that Digital Trends describes as similar to flexible layers of small teeth. The design creates a low-pressure zone in front of the shark that reduces drag and discourages microorganisms from using the shark as a host.
This feature was famously first used in swimsuits at the 2008 Olympics, and subsequently banned for being too successful. The U.S. Navy mimics the sharkskin feature on ships to reduce drag as well as prevent barnacle growth on the hull. Hospitals utilize the microorganism-inhibiting design to reduce cross-contamination on surfaces.
While some applied scientists endeavor to solve the very real pandemic of 2020, others are working upstream, such as how to design inhibitors or destroyers that will work more generally on the undescribed viruses of the future.
Other budding scientists, perhaps still in diapers or being homeschooled by harried quarantined parents, are just wondering why certain types of bugs like to congregate in the organic goo in a corner of their backyard.
Karen Telleen-Lawton, Noozhawk Columnist
Karen Telleen-Lawton is an eco-writer, sharing information and insights about economics and ecology, finances and the environment. Having recently retired from financial planning and advising, she spends more time exploring the outdoors — and reading and writing about it. The opinions expressed are her own.