Research progress and development trend of life science in the 21st century

In the second half of the 20th century, the great progress made in various fields of life science, especially the breakthrough achievements in molecular biology, has revolutionized the position of life science in natural science. Many scientists believe that in the future of natural science, life science will become the leading discipline, and even predict that the 21st century is the century of biology, although there are different views on these assertions, but there is no doubt that in the 21st century, life science will continue to flourish, and life science plays a huge role in promoting natural science. No less than 19th and first half of 20th century physics. If in the past the life sciences have benefited from the introduction of concepts, methods and techniques from physics, chemistry and mathematics, then in the future the life sciences will have a unique way of positive feedback and return to the rest of the natural sciences. When the 21st century comes, some far-sighted scientists, thinkers and politicians will increasingly serious human social problems, such as population, the earth's environment, food, resources and health and other major problems to be solved, all place their hopes on the progress of life science and biotechnology.

1. Life sciences will become the leading discipline of natural sciences in the 21st century

The discovery of the DNA double helix structure model in the 1950s, the establishment of the "central law" of genetic information transmission and the establishment of DNA recombination technology have fundamentally changed the face of life science. The combination of molecular biology and genetics will take 10115 years to determine the full sequence of the 3 billion base pairs (genetic code) of the human genome, which contains about 100,000 genes in human cells. The "working draft" of the human genome has so far been sequenced with 99.99% accuracy and completion, and will continue to discover and elucidate a large number of new important genes, such as genes that control memory and behavior, genes that control cell aging and programmed death, new oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, and genes associated with a large number of diseases. These results will be used in the service of human health.

After the 1970s, with the development of molecular biology and the emergence of bioengineering represented by genetic engineering, biotechnology made it possible to purposefully improve the traits and qualities of organisms through the precise cutting and purposeful recombination of DNA strands. The achievements of bioengineering so far have shown attractive prospects in production, and although there are still many controversial issues, it is very likely to become a new industry in the 21st century.

Developmental biology will rapidly rise, it will answer countless scientists for more than 100 years have been assiduously unsolved major issues, how a fertilized egg through cell division and differentiation to develop into an incredibly complex structure and function of the individual, elucidates the spatial and temporal orderly process control mechanism in ontogeny, Thus creating conditions for human beings to thoroughly control the growth and development of animals and plants.

The discovery that RNA molecules have both genetic information and enzyme functions provides a new opportunity to solve the problem of "how life originated" that has been advancing for decades. In the 21st century, people will also try to synthesize life in the laboratory. It has been possible to use biotechnology to amplify the DNA of ancient organisms or freeze-dried corpses preserved in special environments, reveal their genetic code, establish gene banks of extinct organisms, and study the evolution and classification of organisms.

The rise of neuroscience heralds another peak in the life sciences. The brain is an extremely complex high-level structural system containing 1011 cells. At the beginning of the 21st century, there will be major breakthroughs in the study of brain function at all levels from molecular to behavioral level, which will clarify learning. Memories. Thinking. There will also be significant advances in behavioral and emotional mechanisms. Theoretical advances in brain function will lead to the development of a new generation of intelligent computers, which may be the best example of the future return of the life sciences to the natural and technological sciences.

Ecology may be the science that most directly serves the human living environment and plays an important role in the sustainable and coordinated development of national economy. The theory and practice of ecology provide decision-making basis for the construction of the Three Gorges Reservoir in China. Protecting biological diversity is one of the most urgent tasks in life science. According to reliable data, about 100 kinds of organisms are extinct on the earth every day, and many of them have died out before being recognized by human beings, which is undoubtedly a disaster for human beings. The research results of ecology and biodiversity conservation and utilization will guide human beings to actively protect their living environment in accordance with the laws of nature, otherwise the material and spiritual civilization of human beings will be disastrously affected.