3 Ways Science Can Help in Any Industry

Science is undoubtedly an essential element that holds our lives together. In fact, the wonder of science isn’t just limited to a lab; you can find it in our homes, offices, transportation systems, devices, food, art, and many others. You name it; there is science behind it. That is also why we always say that you’re rarely more than 3 meters away from 3M science.

Over the years, we’ve seen the world drastically evolve through science. The rapid evolution occurs in many significant ways following the advances in knowledge, technology, and general concerns that have inspired observations and structured experiments, which allows sustainable solutions. Science is a way to think without limits and unveil endless possibilities.

As a global science company, we use science to pursue solutions that improves lives. Our vision is to develop technology to advance every company, create products that enhance every home, and discover innovations that improve every life. Our ambition is to grow our business by collaborating to help solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges—be it through increasing energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions or providing access to clean air and water to enhance human health wherever they may be.

Today, we see science transcending every industry. Here’s how:

1.?Science generates better healthcare treatments.?

If you ever had an I.V. bag attached to you in a hospital, you would probably remember the transparent dressing that kept the cannula in place. Did you know that before the 1970s, these tapes did not use to be transparent? If you were required to be put on I.V. medication, nurses would have to apply gauze and tape in a way that allows them to keep an eye on the insertion site so they could watch for signs of potential infections.

Seeing that critical care nurses wanted a gentler adhesive and needed an I.V. site dressing that can be easily monitored, Steve Heinecke and the team of 3M scientists began working on a solution and developed the Tegaderm? I.V. dressings. It can be used to cover and protect catheter sites and wounds; maintain a moist environment for wound healing; used as a protective cover over at-risk skin; and secure devices to the skin; and more. Today, these transparent dressings are used in over 140 countries, allowing nurses to better care for their patients.

Even today, in a COVID-19 stricken world, science plays a significant role in many areas of our lives. Seeing fellow Malaysians rush to get the COVID-19 vaccination in the last two months got me thinking about the number of scientists and medical researchers involved and the hours spent developing effective vaccines to protect mankind against this virus. According to Mckinsey, the speed in the rollout of the vaccination globally would only be possible with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in detecting and diagnosing the virus, predicting the evolution, and tracking the spread of infections.

2.?Science and research are the foundation of every technological advancement.

Never would I have imagined the world going through such an accelerated digital revolution as today from the effects of the pandemic. Yet now, we see everyone rushing to adapt to this breakthrough. What feels like incremental change today is truly exponential compared with the past, and expectations continue to rise. Disruption is the new normal and will drive relentless change.?

At 3M, we have been looking into our communities and how they adapt to their dynamic lifestyle to identify and evaluate growth opportunities. With this, we have consulted external sources to identify five megatrends backed by science, namely technological breakthroughs; changing climates and resources; shifting demographics and social change; the rebalancing world; and the rise of the individual. While events such as the pandemic will cause short-term headwinds to some trends we see today and tailwinds to others, we expect the longevity of megatrends to persist.

For instances, years before the pandemic, 3M has identified the opportunity for people in the workplace to collaborate remotely. In 2016, we began investing in mixed reality (MR), which led us to a partnership with Microsoft to develop the Microsoft HoloLens 2 (HL2) MR headset launched last year. Using 3M’s disruptive technology process, these devices were quickly supplied to 3Mers around the globe, which enabled them to engage in complex situations with vendors, customers and co-workers.

During the pandemic, we saw first-hand how this innovative technology played a part in accelerating the respirator production at 3M plants when the world needs it the most. With the HL2, engineers could effectively collaborate with each other in their respective manufacturing site to livestream manufacturing lines, samples, and other equipment. It also enabled virtual customer engagement as the team use the device for new process development, quality training and monitoring product performance during qualification trials.?

3.?Science contributes to a healthier and happier environment.

In recent years, we see the world becoming more environmentally conscious. Consumers are changing the way they live to reduce waste while brands are setting more stringent goals to reduce emissions.

Living in Malaysia, we know how air quality impacts human health, especially during haze season. We can feel its effects even when we stay indoors. Speaking to my colleagues from other countries, I learnt that the problem of air pollution transcends locations. The World Health Organization estimates about 4.2 million death each year from exposure to fine particulates in polluted air. Because of that, 3M used science to create solutions for cleaner air through the development of the smog-reducing shingle. 3M? Smog-reducing Granules harness the power of the sun to turn roofing membranes into a pollution-fighting surface. When the sun hits the granules, their photocatalytic coating transforms the smog pollution (nitrogen oxides) into water-soluble ions that safely wash away with rain.

In addition to that, earlier this year, 3M announced its commitment to bend the curve on carbon emissions and water use, and improve water quality by applying its science and technological expertise. 3M expects to install state-of-the-art water purification technology by the end of 2023 and be fully operational by 2024 at?all of?its largest water-using locations. This will enable the company to return even higher quality water to the environment after its use in manufacturing operations.

Hence, I firmly believe that science drives progress, innovation, and development. Without science, there is no human growth, no knowledge generation, no technological advancements, no medicines, let alone the COVID-19 vaccination that we anticipate today, no knowledge generation, and the world stagnates. Now, can you imagine a world without science??