By: Steven Shieller and Raia Ocampo
The year 2021 brought new bounds for health care and immunization, leaps for space travel, and jumps into recognizing and honoring the contributions and impact of scientists here in the country and the international community.
🧪 Jan 2021 - A Storm of Cases and a Wave for Vaccine Trials
The year started off in a struggle as the Philippines logged 475,820 COVID-19 cases on day 1 of the New Year. and the country prepared with travel restrictions.
But hope was underway as the Philippines planned to buy 148 million vaccines and 15,000 Filipino volunteers joined in the WHO Solidarity vaccine trials. And several LGUs, such as in Quezon City, Manila, Cagayan de Oro, and Valenzuela, start signing deals for vaccine doses.
🧪 Feb 2021 - Perseverance, the Rover, Prevails on Mars
On Feb 18, hundreds of determined scientists cheered for the successful touchdown of Perseverance, a rover now roaming and collecting rock samples on Mars.
A snapshot of the Martian dust and ground was taken after the “7 minutes of terror” as Perseverance descended on its own into 1300°C temperatures and deployed it’s parachute for a safe landing.
Scientists hope that after the samples have been drilled and collected, it will show clues to any potential life or water that the red planet once preserved.
🧪 March 2021 - PH Official Vaccination Roll-Out
March 1 marked the official beginning of Philippine vaccination rollouts and campaign to boost vaccine-confidence. Sinovac was legally administered to healthcare workers, and the country welcomed 480,000 doses of AstraZeneca within the month.
🧪 April 2021 - Leading with Ingenuity
Ingenuity, a small helicopter that is bound to test aviation on the red planet Mars, had flown successfully on April 19, 2021 after counter failures in software commands that had delayed its scheduled flight on April 11, 2021.
The Mars helicopter’s job was to demonstrate the first powered controlled flight on Mars. Its first flight, which flew about 3 meters (10 feet) above red ground, hovered in the air briefly for roughly 40 seconds.
As it was proven that powered controlled flight was possible on Mars after its 6th test flight, it was given a new mission to demonstrate new operations that will be beneficial to the explorations around the planet through aerial scouting and related functions that would assist land rovers in learning what’s in for us on Mars.
NASA will be optimistic enough on figuring out how these aerial explorers will be able to assist in gathering information together with existing and future land rovers on Mars.
🧪 May 2021 - Museums in Saved Spaces
To celebrate International Museum Day on May 18, the country has turned to innovative ways to bring back the experience of walking through galleries and soaking in the sights of exhibits.
Starting with the Ayala Museum “Where is the Filipino: An Interactive 8-Bit Tour Around the Philippines“ the platform “gather.town” helped users explore the collection of Filipino artifacts and ethnic culture from the safety of a pixelated avatar going across the archipelago.
The National Museum of Fine Arts Virtual Tour preserves the sharp panel paintings of Carlos V. Francisco’s “Filipino Struggles through History” or head through Spolarium Hall through a 360° view tour on Pamana.ph. Gain more in-depth information of the scenes portrayed by navigating around the digitally rendered Old Senate Session Hall.
The Presidential Museum and Library houses a view on the Google Arts and Culture site. With collections of canvas and paper portraits, Tour exhibits feature the country’s political history and presidents.
With initiatives like “Sulyap Museo” by the Museum Foundation of the Philippines, art and artists have lived on through virtual spaces and kept the culture of history alive.
🧪 June 2021 - Coral Bleaching in the Philippines
World Oceans Day, recognized on June 8, emphasizes the call to keep eyes open underwater due to the ongoing problem ofPhilippine reefs being bleached white, fluorescent, or pale in color due to sudden changes in ocean temperature, coral diseases, and pollution.
When higher sea surface temperatures (SST) exceed normal conditions, the coral would be stressed and expel algae, losing nutrients, and this results in their lackluster color.
Since 2020, massive coral bleaching episodes have been reported in provinces of Batangas, northern Palawan, Mindoro and Negros Occidental, and on Panay Island by the Philippine Coral Bleaching Watch.
In the Philippine Journal of Science released in June 2021, the study “Citizen Science Reveals the Prevalence of the 2020 Mass Coral Bleaching in One Town” by Licuanan and Mordeno(2021) hopes for more priority and monitoring coastal marine life and for LGU’s to take meaningful action in addressing climate change.
🧪 July 2021 - Raising “Ocean Spirit” a Philippine Biodiversity Game
First announced in July, the University of the Philippines, Balangay Entertainment, and Toyota have collaborated to make a Philippine biodiversity game, now known as “Ocean Spirit” to promote marine conservation and engage the conversation to protect the country’s unique species.
Launched and available to play online, this personality quiz guides the player to discover their Philippine ocean spirit animal and take pride in the biodiversity and beauty hidden in the depths of the country’s waters.
Nico Valdez, game designer and president of Balangay Entertainment. Hopes that “We hope that the players will get to know more about themselves, about each other, but most importantly, about the flora and fauna that live in the Philippine seas”
🧪 August 2021 - Scholars Shooting for the Stars with Maya-3 and Maya-4
Maya-3 and 4 PH, known to be the first Philippine university-built satellites. This was developed by the scholars of the Stamina4Space Program: Project 3 - Space Science and Technology Proliferation through University Partnerships (STeP-UP).
August 29, 2021 was the successful launch from the planet going to the international space station (ISS) as both satellites were aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. The next day, the cube satellites docked at the International Space Station. Then by October 6, the satellites were released to space from the ISS. and now operational and orbiting the planet.
The assessment of the cubesats' performance will be used in future satellite development of the Maya-5 and Maya-6. and future applications for disaster mitigation, environmental, and agricultural projects.
🧪 September 2021 - Traveling at the Speed of Flight Inspiration4
Inspiration4 is known to be the 1st all-civilian flight that launched on September 15, 2021. A crew of four were strapped inside a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket. The mission was dedicated to raise funds for St. Jude’s Research Hospital in Tennessee which focuses on studying treatments and helping those affected with pediatric cancer.
On board was Jared Issacman, founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, and commander for Inspiration4. Then Hayley Arceneaux, at 29 years old, is the youngest American to head into space. As a physician’s assistant from St. Jude she was the mission’s medical officer. The 3rd crew member was Christopher Sembroski, both an Air Force veteran and a data engineer who was the mission specialist for the flight. And Sian Proctor, a geoscientist who won Shift4Shop e-commerce competition with the site "Space2Inspire", as she advocates for just, equitable, diverse, and Inclusive spaces, which she dubbed as “J.E.D.I. spaces” through sharing art and poetry..
With 3 days in orbit, and seeing the sunsets and sunrises of the Earth in a glass-domed cupola, the flight has inspired many that everyone can have a chance to see the stars through sustainable spaceflight.
🧪 October 2021 - Nobel Prize in Science Laureates
The announcements of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Physics, and Chemistry, Economic Science, Literature, and Peace, were released. The laureates are honored for their commitment to peace and progress, and awe-inspiring discoveries.
David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian, awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for their discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch." For David Julius, he identified skin nerve endings that perceive heat by using capsaicin, a compound in chili peppers. In the press release, Ardem Patapoutian discovered sensors in the skin and organs that react and respond to mechanical stimuli through using cells that are pressure-sensitive. These researchers have impacted the way sensations are detected and trigger human nerve impulses.
Syukuro Manabe, Klaus Hasselmann, and Giorgio Parisi were recognized “for groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of complex physical systems” and given the Nobel Prize in Physics. Today’s climate models were initially developed by Syukuro Manabe as he showed that increased temperatures on the Earth were caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, as well as the link between radiation and air masses. And Klaus Hasselmann further supported the claim by generating a model that affirms current models to be reliable and identifies both human and natural footprints affecting the climate. Meanwhile Giorgio Parisi for his observations of hidden patterns and processes within “disordered complex materials” and random phenomena.
Benjamin List and David W.C. MacMillan were given the Nobel Prize in Chemistry “for the development of asymmetric organocatalysis” which allows the construction of molecules through a new third type of catalyst or a substance that increases the speed of a reaction. The new organocatalysis, which uses small organic molecules such as a carbon framework, then oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur or phosphorus, makes the catalyst more environmentally-efficient.
These discoveries of hard-working researchers are founded upon the need to expound scientific discovery and drive knowledge to greater heights.
October 2021 CONTINUED - Moving into the Metaverse
The Facebook corporation has renamed itself to “Meta” as a way to go beyond being known for social media. As CEO Mark Zuckerberg aims to build stronger ways of connecting people through augmented and virtual reality.
All of the company’s iconic apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, and What’s App, keep their original platform names, but now sport their parent company’s new branding of a blue infinity symbol. A logo that hopes to indicate the identity of unlimited services of a future internet.
The change to Meta shows the goal of going deep into the Metaverse. This starts with using virtual reality headsets, making an avatar almost identical to one’s likeness, and socializing in digital conference rooms, attending virtual concerts, or playing 3D games, generating an online world of immersive experiences.
🧪 November 2021 - Children’s Vaccination in the Philippines
As the Philippines begins the nationwide COVID-19 Vaccination of all children aged 12 to 17, there is a reopened door of hope for face-to-face classes. The immunization program starts as children wait in line accompanied by their guardian, present informed consent forms and ID cards, then children are given the jab and are now one step closer to safeguarding themselves from the virus.
Based on the data of the Philippine Statistics Authority, there are 12.7 million children aged 12 to 17 in 2021 that would have to be given either a Pfizer or Moderna shot.
🧪 December 2021 - Rizal, The Scientist Statue
A 3D printed monument known as “Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the Filipino Scientist,” at 12.5 feet was unveiled last December 30 at the DOST Complex in Taguig City for Rizal’s 125th death anniversary.
Designed by artist and professor, Jose Manuel Sicat, this 3D printed statue used acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), this ensures the statue will stand tall no matter the weather. With the material having impact durability, chemical-resistance, and protection from high temperatures.
Depicting the national hero as an “agriculturist, natural-environmentalist, medical scientist, and engineer/surveyor.” bringing out the works and findings in identifying animal species such as Draco rizali, a flying lizard. Or his contributions as an ophthalmologist wherein he treated his mother’s eyesight.
DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña stated that “Dr. Rizal did not do science for science sake or for his recognition. He did it for the sake of others. He did science for the people,”
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