Abstract
Some years inspire more hindsight reflection and future-gazing than others. This is even more so in 2020 with its evocation of perfect vision and the landmark ring to it. However, no futurist can reliably predict what the world will look like the next time that a year’s first two digits will match the second two digits—a numerical pattern that only occurs once in a century. As we leap into a new decade, amid uncertainties triggered by unforeseen global events—such as the outbreak of a worldwide pandemic, the accompanying economic hardship, and intensifying geopolitical tensions—it is important to note the blistering pace of 21st century technological developments indicate that while hindsight might be 20/20, foresight is 50/50. The history of science shows us that imaginative ideas, research excellence, and collaborative innovation can, for example, significantly contribute to the economic, cultural, social, and environmental recovery of a post-COVID-19 world. This article reflects on a history of yeast research to indicate the potential that arises from advances in science, and how this can contribute to the ongoing recovery and development of human society. Future breakthroughs in synthetic genomics are likely to unlock new avenues of impactful discoveries and solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges.
Highlights
Serendipity presumably played an important part in prehistoric inventions and innovations
Inspired by the work of pioneers like Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543) and Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) at the dawn of the Renaissance, Francis Bacon formulated the concept of a true scientific method in his Instauratio Magna, which was published in 1621 as the Novum Organum Scientiarum [10]
As evidenced by pioneering works, such as those by William Gilbert’s De Magnete [12], William Harvey’s Exercitatio Anatomica de Motu Cordis et Sanguinis in Animalibus [13] and Isaac Newton’s Philosophia Naturalis Principia Mathematica, the scientific method remained influential through the Scientific Revolution (1600–1800) and is widely credited as the single most important development in the history of science [14]
Summary
The development of techniques for producing pure yeast cultures enabled brewers, winemakers and bakers to distinguish between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ yeast [19,40,41]. There are more than 100 yeast genera and 1,500 species recognized as unicellular ascomycetous or basidiomycetous fungi that produce vegetatively by budding or fission, and that form sexual states, which are not enclosed in fruiting bodies [20,50]. These described genera and species only represent a tiny fraction of the yeast biodiversity on this planet. Nature’s untapped treasure trove of yeasts has much to offer to modern-day experimental yeast research and applications in the fermented food and beverage industries, the biofuel industry, the medical field, and in the biotechnology sector [40]
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