The COVID-19 Pandemic and Paradigm Change in Global Scientific Research.

Cárdenas-González, Mariana; Álvarez-Buylla, Elena R

The current pandemic has rocked the lives of human beings every-where in ways never imagined, forcing us to question where our civilization is headed. In this article, we explore and discuss scien-tifi c evidence that helps explain recent events in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.COVID-19 is caused by infection with a zoonotic-origin novel virus, SARS-CoV-2, that is genetically close to two coronavirus types iso-lated in bats. The transmission dynamics to humans from the original and intermediary hosts remain poorly understood, but it is highly likely that the SARS-CoV-2 virus infected humans after undergoing an inter-species transfer from bats to an intermediate species, and from there to human beings. Crossing the species barrier is largely fostered by industrial-scale agricultural practices that simplify original ecosystem connections by reducing biodiversity, facilitating the emergence of new infectious diseases. The scientifi c community has played an exemplary role in responding to this global emergency, working to fi nd timely, relevant solutions for governments and society as a whole. We need to take this opportunity to promote a global and open science that delves into the interrelation-ships of the biological, environmental, social and economic dimen-sions of this and other diseases while questioning current modes of production and their impact on the environment, and thus on human health worldwide. Keywords: Coronavirus infections; communicable diseases; zoonoses; ecosystems; technology, industry, and agriculture; pandemics; global health; Mexico.