The Social Order
Economists love technological change because it translates into increased productivity. Rising productivity can then be measured, albeit imperfectly, and feeds directly into economic growth. However, while we can use standard measures to observe some forms of economic progress, other technological and scientific advances do things for humanity that the usual measures of output fail to reflect.
When a new virus attacks the human race, we get our best scientists together and fight back. It’s a horrible battle, but in the end, we win. A century ago, a flu virus killed a substantial percentage of the world’s population. Since then, immunology and virology have advanced by a quantum leap. Had Covid-19 appeared in 1900, it would have been far more devastating the virus responsible for the 1918 Spanish flu was not identified until 1935. In 2020, science identified the virus right away, sequenced its genome within weeks, and produced vaccines within a year. Technology,
As well, USask geological sciences professor Ingrid Pickering’s Tier 1 chair in molecular environmental science has been renewed for seven years. Pickering uses the Canadian Light Source synchrotron, a national research facility of USask. “Federal investment in these prestigious research programs recognizes the outstanding contributions of these female researchers to research excellence in Canada and our commitment to building an equitable and diverse research community,” said USask Vice-President Research Karen Chad. “These innovative research leaders will help develop solutions for challenges facing the world today and help attract promising young researchers.” The four USask awards totalling $4.8 million were part of a national CRC announcement today by Innovation, Science and Industry Minister Navdeep Bains.