research is vitally important for multiple reasons. First, applied scientific research
is necessary for the growth and technological advancement of our society. Without
applying what we know, we would never be able to advance and make significant
gains. The researchers who experimented with Fleming’s new discovery of
penicillin took medicine to an entirely new level by applying what Fleming and his
associates had learned.
In addition to being necessary for advancement, applied science research is also
important because it is the route through which financial returns on our original
scientific investments are made. Applied science leads to the production of new
beneficial tools and technologies, which in turn may become revenue-generating
products. This allows society to benefit financially from the investment made in the
original research. Without studies that help us determine how knowledge can be
successfully applied, the investment in basic scientific research would not be likely
to reap as many gains.
Finally, applied scientific research is of value because it is vital for protecting
our health and safety. The use of new products always brings with it a degree of
unknown. Compounds that appear safe in one application may be quite destructive
in the next. Applied scientific research can help us to determine which products are
safe to use in which environments. The element mercury, for instance, historically
had numerous uses in applications ranging from construction equipment to
thermometers and dental fillings. But numerous scientific experiments on the
toxicity of mercury have proven it to pose dangers for humans and animals,
helping to increase awareness of its potential problems in medical applications.
It is tempting to conclude that applied scientific research is what matters most
to progress, and that funds should be devoted to scientific applications instead of to
basic knowledge development. In fact, however, basic science research continues to
be an important part of how knowledge is developed, and it is a critical component
that precedes application. Funds should therefore be devoted to research in
both basic and applied sciences, because both disciplines are of value to human
advancement.CHAPTER 15 ■ PRACTICE TEST 1 50505-GRE-Test-2018_463-582.indd 505 12/05/17 12:14 pm