“I have noticed that even those who assert that everything is predestined and that we can change nothing about it still look both ways before they cross the street.”
– Stephen Hawking, in Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays
Change is inevitable. It always has been and always will be. Adaptation to change is what defines the extent of our progress, or the depths of our despair. The COVID-19 pandemic that rages on around the world has dramatically accelerated the pace of change in our way of life. Social distancing and mandatory masks. Migration away from dense urban areas. Bubbles, pods, and home schooling. Fear of hugs and handshakes. Cancelled graduation ceremonies and college semesters from home. Work-from-home mandates and the rapid adaptation of telemedicine. Virtual meetings, interviews, and conferences. A laissez-faire attitude toward public health advice from our scientists. Shortages of basic tools to detect and fight...
