ALICE FLEERACKERS AND JUAN PABLO ALPERIN, THE CONVERSATION 15 JANUARY 2021 COVID-19 has not only upended our personal lives, it has dramatically changed scientific research. In response to the rapid spread of the virus, scientists around the world have had to find new ways to collaborate and solve problems, all at speeds previously thought unimaginable.
Indeed, until very recently, the idea that a new vaccine could be developed, tested and distributed in less than a year would have seemed impossible. But the "warp speed" at which science is moving can also be dangerous, especially when inconclusive or unverified research studies gain public attention.