Editor's note: The Science Careers section raised an interesting topic, and they asked more than 20 young scientists: If you really achieved the research goals you set, how would the humans, animals, plants, earth, or other abstract things that benefited from it feel......?
图源:ROBERT NEUBECKER
About medical progress
I am an obscure pill and a lone warrior on the battlefield against disease. My journey was often accompanied by dangerous side effects and inadequate efficacy, leaving many patients frustrated. But now, with the advent of drug cocrystals, which make my ingredients more easily absorbed, I am no longer a lone actor, on the contrary, I am part of a powerful alliance, combined with other compounds, exerting unprecedented healing power in a harmonious lattice, fighting all kinds of diseases with better precision and greater potency.
——Qian Ye, Anhui, China
I am a mitochondria that inhabit cells. I give my little world the energy it needs to keep running. Until recently, my companions and I were plagued by mysterious mutations that disrupted our work, reduced our energy output, and caused some of our cellular companions to become ill. Fortunately, researchers have now uncovered the secrets of these mutations, including how to fix them and even how to prevent them. This discovery allows us to generate more energy than ever before. Our cell companions are healthier, and our entire host body is stronger.
——Gao Yuzhou, The First Clinical Medical College of Anhui Medical University
I am a myelin sheath, the protector of nerve fibers, and the guardian of electrical conductivity in the vast nervous system. Ten years ago, my subject contracted EBV, and since then I have lived in constant fear of EBV and the serious disease associated with it, multiple sclerosis (MS). I've seen how MS has compromised many of my friends, leaving only a handful of neuronal networks. For every action potential I protect, not sure if it will be my last. Now, researchers have devised treatments for EBV to reduce the symptoms of MS. The barren axons that once surrounded me were now more insulated than ever, and I finally felt at ease.
——Rishi Jai Patel 美国宾州大学
Vagelos Molecular Life Sciences Project
I am a tubular cell in the body of a person with kidney failure. I felt weak and hopeless, but the 3D organ printing study saved me! One afternoon, I was sucked out of my body and injected into a tube. That night, I was transferred to the culture medium of a lab upstairs. There, I was cloned, and there were other types of cells, including podocytes, mesangial cells, and vascular cells. My partner and I were then collected and lined up in a bioprinter to be printed together into a new kidney. The next morning, I (now part of the new kidney) was transplanted into my home, the bedridden person I had left the day before. My host and I were rejuvenated.
——Cao Bo, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University
I am worn out knee cartilage, destroyed by the never-ending activities of my master. Without my protection, the subchondral bones would be bullied and suffer tiny fractures. Until then, there was no way to fix me unless the entire joint was replaced. But now, medical researchers can use the hydrogel scaffold to save me, skillfully filling in the defective cartilage, rejuvenating it, and growing new clear cartilage. I was able to do my job again and my master was able to regain his mobility.
——Li Aikang, Shantou University
I am the brain, and the human body should perfectly interpret the commands I give. However, there are times when my body loses its ability to respond, or my signal transmission is impaired, such as spinal cord injury due to injury or motor neuron damage due to illness. Luckily, neuroscientists have now designed electronic devices that can connect me to an external computer. This brain-computer interface allows me to communicate with my body indirectly. Finally, no matter what happens, I can maintain control of my body!
——Jackson Powell, Vagelos Molecular Life Sciences Program, University of Pennsylvania, USA
Source: pixabay.com
About the ecological environment
I am the Earth, and for decades, I have endured the effects of climate change, including land degradation, desertification, and sandstorms. Fortunately, the new study provides a detailed understanding of the potential geographic distribution of desertification. This information will enable governments and relevant agencies to implement measures to prevent and control desertification, giving the humans living in me a better chance of restoring ecosystems and achieving their sustainable development goals.
——Cai Yifei, Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Beijing, China
I am a 2,500-meter high mountain in the Pyrenees. Over the past few years, my top hat has been losing snow due to rising temperatures and pollution, fewer and fewer people are coming to visit, and my animal friends have abandoned me. Even the ecosystem at my bottom has been affected. Fortunately, researchers have identified the causes of the degradation and alerted policymakers. Their efforts have brought new protections, my beautiful white top hat has begun to recover, trees and rivers have looked healthier, and animals have returned.
——Isabel Marín-Beltrán 环境技术实验室 葡萄牙法鲁
I'm a single-use plastic lunch box that I've only been filled with delicious food once and then ruthlessly discarded with people criticizing me for releasing harmful substances into the soil, water, and air. However, recent advances in the field of recycling have given me a new beginning. Now, after washing, infrared and ozone sterilization, and high-temperature drying, I am soaked in reagents and then converted into environmentally friendly plastic pellets. Eventually, I was made into useful things like chairs, bikes, phone cases, and even low-carbon acrylic t-shirts!
——Tao Zecheng, School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
I am a plant that grows near the city. When I was young, the soil at my roots didn't provide an adequate supply of nutrients, hindering my development and making me vulnerable. The researchers then unveiled the potential of urea in supporting seed germination and growth. With urea in the soil, I now feel more energetic and my once pale leaves sparkle. This research has not only changed my living conditions, but also enhanced my role in the ecosystem. I am a natural carbon sink that provides benefits to people, animals, soil and air.
——Maryam Ejaz 塞浦路斯尼科西亚大学医学院
I am a magnificent wheat field, and chemicals used to be the only way to ensure that I could withstand pests and diseases and produce enough ears of wheat. Then, clever researchers instilled in me the power of nature to resist threats. Now, my strong, disease-resistant stalks stand tall and nourish humanity without harming the environment. Every piece of freshly baked bread is a testament to this successful human-plant collaboration.
——Syed S. Zaidi 法国食品和环境研究所
I am a grain of rice, and I used to worry about the arsenic lurking in my body. Later, researchers figured out how to use melatonin to lighten the arsenic I absorbed as I grew up. Now, I'm not just a grain of rice, I'm a symbol of hope, my family can eat me with confidence, and even the birds seem to be happier, which is a beautiful chain reaction.
—Ankita Gupta, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Hindu University, Bannaras, India
I am a young green sea turtle dreaming of traveling the world. My favorite snack is jellyfish sashimi. One day, I ate a super chewy jellyfish that turned out to be plastic. I ended up stranded on the beach, dying of malnutrition and food poisoning. Luckily, marine scientists have figured out how to save a species like mine through medical, diet, and nutritional supplements. After 3 months, my body recovered and my world tour could continue.
——Ming She See 马来西亚登嘉楼大学科学与海洋环境学院
I'm a cow living in the United States, and half of my life is about emitting gases: burping and farting are my forte, but I didn't know I was a major contributor to global warming. Luckily, researchers have found a way to capture my greenhouse gas emissions and turn them into fuel. Now, every time I hiccup, I imagine myself as a tiny fuel factory that brings the world closer to a zero-carbon economy. Thanks to science, I'm content now and sustainable, and my hiccups are a source of pride.
——Xiangkun Elvis Cao 麻省理工学院化学工程系
Source: pixabay.com
About smart technology
I'm a photon. I was entangled with my significant other at the beginning of the universe. In the past, humans couldn't understand me, but physicists created quantum computers. Finally, I am reunited with my partner, and now, humans can recognize my energy state and my entangled stories. I can finally communicate with humans in my own way, not just by rushing past them.
- Ginevra Fulco, Department of Physics, Technical University of Munich, Milan, Italy
I'm a smartphone and people always use me to film themselves. In the past, these photos were of little use other than posting them on Moments, but new breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and medicine mean that "selfies" can now be used to provide health checks and disease screenings. My new algorithm can find small pathological changes on the face that indicate a specific diagnosis, which is very important for doctor-patient communication.
——Lei Zhaoyu, Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
I'm metal, found in everything from razors to aircraft engines. Just like humans, fatigue is a constant challenge that affects my structure and reliability. However, advanced machine learning has recently deciphered the secrets of my microstructure, enabling humans to detect fatigue before it occurs. Now, I'm confident that I won't collapse under pressure.
——Chaoyu Lei, Department of Electrical Energy, Metals, Mechanical Structures and Systems, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University
I'm a modern car factory, filled with the low hum of electric cars. In the past, my cutting-edge assembly line was sometimes surprisingly silent because a key supplier outage would bring everyone to a standstill. This dependency was my Achilles' heel, and then the study of resilience risk modeling came in. All contracts now take into account supply chain risks and countermeasures. Although more costly, these contracts ensure mutual support and substitution, allowing me to maintain uninterrupted production from unpredictability.
——Teng Dequn, Institute of Manufacturing, University of Cambridge
I'm a supersonic plane, I'm excited about the recent results of materials research, and now I'm weight loss, feeling stronger and healthier. During the flight, the pressure also affected me less, and I didn't really feel the heat: the new materials kept me working at a comfortable temperature. Because I'm faster and safer now, I have to work harder and get more travel done every day, but I'm proud to be able to transport medical services, disaster relief teams, and vital cargo, and facilitate global commerce and communication.
Paulo Bezerra, Department of Engineering and Technology, Federal Rural University, Brazil
I am the grid and all the nodes in it, I provide lighting, heating, transportation and communication. However, in the past, I have also emitted harmful pollution and have been less reliable in many areas. Fortunately, researchers have made the "green transition" possible. Now I'm equipped with renewable energy equipment that can reliably transmit electricity while reducing carbon emissions, and I'm stronger than ever!
——Xia Yuanxing, School of Electrical and Power Engineering, Hohai University
Bibliography:
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp2180