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10 reasons to smile, even during a pandemic

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While writing this, we’re trying to comprehend what actually happened during 2020. It’s no secret that it was a rough year, but also one that taught us some lessons. It’s ‘easier’ to blame this year for our sorrows, but we think it’s healthier to see the bright side in all things. 

We know that it might’ve been the hardest year maybe for all of us, but we put together a list of reasons why we shouldn’t keep 2020 in the box of ‘bad things only’.

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First of all, Captain Sir Tom Moore, a 99 years old Army veteran who started with a goal of earning £1000 doing laps in his garden, has raised a total of £26.5 million so far and is still counting, in aid of the health service's charitable wing, NHS Charities Together.

Secondly, after the devastating fires in Australia, koalas can finally return into the wilds and continue their journey in a safe environment. 

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Thirdly, pet adoptions have increased dramatically due to the lockdown and the need of people to have a little friend. After all, the coronavirus outbreak taught us to love every living creature and that’s simply precious.

Then, drive-in concerts and drive-in movies are a thing now. Basically, we’re living like it’s the 50’s again. We’ve seen a lot of ‘drive-in movie festivals’ or ‘drive-in concerts’ and I think that’s something that should be promoted, since it might take a while until it will be safe for all of us to gather in crowded spaces.

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Another reason would be that Ford, GM, Tesla and other automakers were able to make ventilators and other medical devices to help with the pandemic. This is great, because the automakers giants can use their funds to improve our medical systems. 

If you didn’t know, NASA named its Washington, D.C. headquarters after Mary W. Jackson, its first Black female engineer. Equal rights for everyone, right?

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Later, through the winners of the 2021 breakthrough prizes in life sciences, fundamental physics and Mathematics, David Baker from University of Washington and Howard Hughes Medical Institute was awarded for the development of technology that allowed the design of proteins never seen before in nature, including novel proteins that have the potential for therapeutic intervention in human diseases.

Furthermore, the start of 2020 marked a great achievement for oncology. The researchers utilized the technologies originated by Google DeepMind algorithm. In particular, this technological advancement made it possible to work closely with breast cancer detection in 2020.

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Moreover, we can’t forget about the first successful phase III trial of a possible COVID-19 vaccine, BNT162b2, is announced by drug companies Pfizer and BioNTech, able to prevent 90% of infections.

The final reason is that the universal flu shot, which has eluded scientists for decades, may be one truly groundbreaking medical advances that could show up in the next 10 years. 

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The most significant focus is that we are healthy or at least recovering, that we are still learning every day from our mistakes, or from the most recent discoveries, that we are still winning in some ways, that we are still going to war not only with this pandemic, but with our own old ways. And all of that is beautiful in some way.

Such as a flower growing through the pavement, the society proved that it can persevere trough this pandemic and ‘make the most’ out of this situation. 

A jolly Holiday Season and 

a Happy New Year from DataDiggers!

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