If You Are Alive Today, It Might Be Due to Science

Think about it. If it weren’t for science, you might not be alive today. What do I mean?

There are myriad ways that scientific discoveries, and the efforts of scientists of all kinds, have not only improved our living conditions but actually saved lives. Here are eight of them.

1. Food Inspection. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and international counterparts have played a major part in saving lives from contaminated foods. In fact, in the past century, ensuring that people get clean water and food has led to a massive reduction in deaths from food-borne illnesses.

2. Vaccinations. The huge reduction in child mortality rates over the years, is due, in large part, to vaccinations that prevent life-threatening diseases, such as polio, measles (note the recent reoccurrence of this almost extinct disease due to lack of vaccinations), diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, the list goes on and on.

3. Medical Science. Some of us have experienced illnesses, injuries, or accidents that might have killed us if it weren’t for the intervention of medical doctors and their science and technology. Medicine has certainly saved lives and lengthened our lifespans.

4. Machine Safety. Engineers and scientists have combined their efforts to make the machines that we use for work, play, and transportation safer. Here’s one straightforward example: Seatbelts save lives! This simple addition to automobiles has saved countless lives over the years, and they keep getting better due to the efforts of engineers and their knowledge of physics and biomechanics.

5. Agriculture. Advances in this science have increased crop yields and brought food production to infertile regions, reducing the number of humans who die from starvation, but we still have a long way to go.

6. Psychology. Yes, my own science has also saved lives. Interventions with people suffering from severe depression, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation have rescued people from death at their own hands.

7. Mathematics and Computer Science. You may have heard of Alan Turing, British mathematician and cryptographer, who broke the Nazi code which shortened World War II (he was the subject of the movie, The Imitation Game), and saved lives.

8. Climate/Weather Science. This post was actually inspired by comments on a previous post by climate change deniers. But, how has our science of weather prediction saved lives on a daily basis? Our meteorologists regularly predict severe storms and hurricanes well in advance, allowing people to prepare or evacuate, and this certainly saves lives. In the long term, climate science is warning us that our human contributions to global warming are endangering all of our lives. I think we should listen more closely to science and scientists. Don’t you?

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