6 British Science Week
Yesterday marked the start of British Science Week, an annual ten day celebration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It is particularly designed to inspire and encourage young people to find interest, challenge and fun in these areas of learning. Over the past year we have greatly appreciated the contribution of experts in all these areas – from developing tests, vaccines and medicines that address some of the complications of Covid-19 infection, through designing PPE and ventilators, to collecting data and designing modelling for things like the R-rate, and genome analysis. Science isn’t confined by national borders – many scientists working in the UK were born in other countries, scientists born here are working in countries round the globe. Rather than competing, most have been co-operating – a good model for the future, when addressing issues like climate change. Activity packs for young people (including pre-school) may be downloaded at https://www.britishscienceweek.org/plan-your-activities/activity-packs/
Lord, sometimes science can be used to pollute and destroy, but we are grateful for all the positive benefits it has brought us, and can bring us. We are very appreciative of the work of scientists here and around the world for the way in which they have helped us through this pandemic, and in all the other areas of life where we usually take their work for granted. Help them all to work always for the greater good of everyone, and the needs of generations still to come