COVID-19, science and pseudoscience: a dangerous yin and yang

Abstract

Today, science has allowed mankind to improve its survival rate and also, as never before in history, to improve health, sanitation, housing, communications, transportation, computing, entertainment, standard of living, etc. It is enough to look at what we have around us to realize that, thanks to science and technology, we use and use materials and devices that did not exist fifty years ago and are now indispensable for modern life. This slogan "Without science there is no future", so popular in times of the COVID-19 pandemic, has become famous, both in our country and in the world, and it would seem to be an obvious and redundant truth. However, we must be attentive to its proper management and technological applications, because they can literally have an impact on the life, death or welfare of people. The misuse of science in politics, scientific half-truths (the other half false or without proof) give momentary gains, but can have counterproductive consequences. We have many examples, such as the management and understanding of climate change in vulnerable countries like ours, which is often exposed to cycles of floods, landslides and droughts, with losses that can be avoided. There is also an impact on public health, as is the case with recurrent diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya or zika, which are influenced by climate.