Top 5 scientific inventions and events in 2021

As the world has been reeling from grotesque Covid-19 deaths and severe ailments, scientists kept trying hard to soothe the wounds of mankind with various inventions in 2021.

Amid the pandemic, science marched forward with newer inventions for the advancement of civilization.

The Business Insider Bangladesh has selected the top five scientific inventions and events among the most impressive ones. Here they are:

Exploring Mars

Three missions reached the Red Planet ‘Mars’ this year. The first one was sent by the UAE and the spacecraft was named ‘Hope’. It arrived on Mars in February this year. The second one was sent by NASA naming it ‘Mars Perseverance Rover’ while the third one was sent by the Chinese National Space Agency, and they named it ‘Tianwen-1.’

Coronavirus vaccines

The world has been battling with the coronavirus pandemic for over one-and-a- a-half-years now. The virus claimed some 5.40 lives globally and infected more than 283 million people. The urgency of a vaccine to battle the deadly virus was a crying need.

In the late December of 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorised the emergency use of Pfizer vaccines.

Though it takes years to invent a vaccine, the massive production of coronavirus vaccines began early in 2021 after rapid research and clinical trials.

Over seven billion doses of coronavirus vaccines have been distributed across the globe by October 2021, according to Medical News Today.

The most prominent of coronavirus vaccines include Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Novavax, Vero Cells, Covishield, Sinovac, etc.

Anti-infection coatings

As the coronavirus pandemic devastates the world, scientists also start trying hard to battle the virus. As part of the initiative, they have invented anti-infection coatings. The covid-19 can linger on certain surfaces for several days.

Therefore, the scientists have been scrambling to create potent antiviral coatings. Accordingly, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) developed an anti-infection coating in April.

The spray uses heat-sensitive polymers that release disinfectants on human contact and can offer protection for around three months. This is a potential solution to get rid of the virus contact.

SolarCell Remote

Tech-giant Samsung has brought a built-in solar panel on remote control that can be recharged via any natural or artificial light.

At present, almost all the television remote controllers rely on alkaline batteries. Based on the ground, Samsung developed a controller with a solar panel. The panel is located on the backside of the remote.

The remote controller is able to get power from any type of indoor or natural light. However, there has been an USB port added to the remote for charging via a cable in case of emergencies or if there are no lights for some reasons.

As per Samsung’s plan, the company will provide the remotes with its television sets to the customers. And, it will cut the need for AAA battery cells in the next few years.

Flexible smartphone displays

Foldable phones return to market this year. Now, the Smartphone users can enjoy the features of the foldable phones, especially with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. Durability, screen resolution and the outer display – all are up to the mark with the phone, manufacturers said.

Besides, this new addition arrives with some special features like IPX8 water resistance with a Gorilla Glass alongside an aluminum body. It can withstand different situations but there are no compromises with the overall performance.

In fact, what was a fantasy a couple of years ago now has become a reality. The users can fold the phone in half and carry it conveniently in their pockets. Moreover, the phone allows the users to check the notifications even when it is folded.