Importance of Research
Research is behind so many of the things that happen in our daily lives, from the cars we drive to the medicines we take for headaches. We all know that research helps to deepen human knowledge, but nevertheless we are sure that some of our examples below will surprise you!
What is Research?
Research can be defined as the act of seeking knowledge. A good researcher will only accept facts that have been checked and verified.
There are many different branches of research. Medical research is used to understand the causes of diseases and to find better cures. Historical research is used to establish what happened in the past. Even searching for the latest cosmetics on the internet could be said to be doing research.
As you can see, research is essential to all aspects of our lives. Below, we give you some concrete examples of why this is!
25 Reasons Why Research is Important
- Health.
Through research, scientists can discover new cures for diseases, or learn more about the ways in which the human body works. In this way, scientific and medical research literally save lives. The next time that you purchase some cough medicine or head to the doctor, just think of all of the research that went into it!
- Staying in touch with the past.
Historical research keeps us in touch with the past and helps us to ensure that we do not repeat its mistakes. We can learn about the decisions made by political leaders and ordinary people, and ponder the chains of events that led up to them. Many people believe that understanding the past is crucial if we want to be able to understand the present day – and the future too!
- Finding our ancestors.
Researchers can trace back through old records to find out where we came from. The results may well surprise you! You can trace your ancestors across distant lands and find out if you had any kind of illustrious connections. And, your genealogical researcher can also draw you up a beautiful family tree if you desire one, to be displayed in pride of place in your home.
- Feats of engineering.
Extensive research has gone into every bridge, every building and every plane, vehicle and boat that we use. Engineering may seem like a very hands on and practical skill, but there is plenty of research behind it. Engineering is the perfect marriage of theoretical research and practical, mechanical knowledge. Engineers will research the ways that their designs are to be used, the types of materials that would work best for them, and many other topics.
- Nutrition.
Nutrition research helps to keep us healthy and is the reason that we know how to cook healthy and nutritious meals for ourselves and our family. Research enables humans to know more about the body’s nutritional needs and about the various ways that these needs can be met using the vitamins, minerals, fats and proteins available in foodstuffs.
- Uncovering archaeological marvels.
Archaeological researchers discover wonders of the ancient world on a daily basis. Truly awe inspiring.
- Sourcing water.
Geographical researchers can put their skills to good use by finding new sources of fresh water for communities to use. The world is full of plentiful lakes and underground rivers just waiting to be discovered.
- Developing new devices.
Tech researchers are responsible for some of the most exciting developments in the world today. New smartphones, cameras and speakers are all the result of their research and skill.
- Enjoying literature.
Literary researchers help to enhance our enjoyment of literature. The many hours that they spend in the archives enables them to write critical books that teach us all about the authors and their work. This helps us to come to literature with fresh eyes and a deeper understanding and appreciation of the words on the page before us.
- Discovering new texts.
New play-texts, forgotten poems and diaries by famous authors and unpublished novels that are real masterpieces have all be discovered by researchers across the globe.
- Planning for the future.
Policy researchers use extensive research into areas such as politics, economics and food security to help to plan for the future of a community, a whole country or even the world.
- Chemical reactions.
Whether it is a new flavoring that can be added to soda or a new type of waterproof paint, chemical researchers investigate the chemical properties of different substances in order to enhance human life. From medicines to flavorings and from bathroom sprays to rust resistant coatings for your car, chemical research is behind many more things than you might think.
- Beauty.
Plenty of research and hard thought goes in to the bottles of creams, powders and cosmetics that we use. Researchers are needed to check that products are safe for human use and also that they do the job that they are supposed to do.
- Improving agriculture.
Agricultural workers are always finding new ways to make crop yields larger or to improve the procedures for growing, harvesting and distributing food. Whilst it is a very practical profession, farming is also founded on a huge amount of research. Agricultural researchers will look in to a variety of topics, including soil quality, genetic modification, economics and the mechanics of farm equipment.
- Keeping us up to date.
Journalists will often be researchers themselves, or they will have a team of researchers supporting them. It is vital for the news that is broadcast to be factually accurate. Excellent research skills are what is needed for this! Researchers will doublecheck sources, gather video and other evidence, and speak to experts to ensure that the messages that are broadcast out to the nation are factually correct. In most countries, if a newspaper publishes something that is badly researched it will have to publish a retraction and it will almost always lose credibility. After all, the public want their news stories to be well researched!
- Caring for our pets.
Research is a fundamental part of being a vet as well. Vets need to know all about animals’ bodies, and the diseases that they can fall prey to and the symptoms that they can display. Plenty of research goes into this career path, and it helps to keep our beloved pets healthy and happy.
- Laying down the law.
When we use the services of a lawyer, we are also using the services of a skilled researcher. Lawyers need to investigate all of the nooks and crannies of the law – which usually means extensive legal research into past cases and judgments, as well as into critical works on legal theory and practice – in order to make the best case possible for us.
- Staying fashionable.
Those outfits didn’t just materialize by magic on the catwalk, you know! Extensive research went in to the fabrics, textures, dyes, and overall design to ensure that they worked just perfectly. Part of this research will have involved an element of trial and error: creating ‘draft versions’ of garments and accessories to see roughly what they look like and to identify any areas where they could possibly be improved. This is yet another way that research helps to keep us beautiful
- Finding life on other planets.
Researchers are working right now to search for life, or the potential for life, on other planets. This type of research has been going on for centuries, but it could pave the way for some exciting contact with other life forms in the future. It could also enable humans to go and live on another planet if we ever need to.
- Searching your date on Internet.
OK, this is not strictly on a par with medical or historical research. But, more than half of people who have met someone online state that they use the internet to research their date a little beforehand. After all, it helps to know if you have anything major in common that you can talk about – or if they clearly hold views that mean that you will want to avoid them completely!
- Research is power.
When you have good research skills, you know that – no matter what tit is that you wan to know – you will be able to find out all of the facts that you need. It is often said that knowledge is not just about what you already know – it is also about knowing where to find out things that you do not let know. When you have god good research skills, you have the capacity to find out whatever you like. Whether you are seeking an ancestor or trying to find out how much iron you need to consume in your diet, trying to find facts for an essay on Ancient Egypt for school or trying to decide which political candidate to vote for, research skills are essential!
- Research is exciting.
Learning new things is exciting. Researching topics that interest us enables us to gain a deeper grasp on the world and also to exercise our mental capacities – this is something that, as humans, we all love doing for its own sake. Few things can beat the joy and excitement of tracking down that elusive fact – or confirming that something you have read is actually contradicted by other research you have done. Be warned, though, there is infinite knowledge out there in the world, just waiting for you to seek it. Once you start researching, who knows where you could end up?
- Recreating the past.
Period dramas on the television, historical re-enactments and theater shows that use ‘original practices’ all rely on a great deal of research in order to ensure that the past is recreated in an accurate way. This is one example of research’s capacity as a serious academic discipline being used for our entertainment too! Costume researchers are one example of the types of researchers that are essential to creating a successful televised version of one of Jane Austen’s novels, or a compelling re-enactment of a famous moment in history for a documentary film.
- Planning for risks.
Scientific research helps us to predict when earthquakes are going to happen and when volcanoes are going to erupt. This helps communities to plan in advance and to stay safe. If we know that a volcanic eruption is likely, for instance, we can warn people not to go near the area in which the volcano is situated and we can also evacuate the people who live in areas that are likely to be affected by the lava flow so that they can stay safe and sound. This is yet another example of how research saves human lives!
- Knowing what to wear.
No – this is not another point about fashion! Rather, it is a point about meteorological research. Meteorological research is research into the weather, and weather systems. This is perhaps the type of scientific research that has the most tangible effect on our lives every single hour! Meteorologists research weather patterns to determine whether it is going to be sunny or rainy (or cloudy, or hailing, and so on) today. They can also monitor the way in which weather systems are behaving across the globe in order to predict what the weather is going to be like many days in advance. So, we know what to wear when we step out of our homes. And, we know whether we need to take an umbrella with us.
Conclusion.
It is abundantly clear from the above that research is not an optional ornament to our lives: rather, it is absolutely crucial to many of our daily activities. From medicine to history, and from exploration to everyday train travel, research has made so much of modern life possible.
In a sense, all human beings are potential researchers. We all have certain things that we want to know, and we all have a desire for knowledge and a thirst to know the true facts about matters that are important to us. Human beings help each other out by doing research. Some people are skilled scientific researchers, for instance, and they use their knowledge to help the human community to fight disease or to stay well nourished. Others are historical researchers, and this is just as important because historical research helps us to understand why we got here in the first place!
What kind of research do you like to do? Perhaps you are already a researcher, or maybe you would like to be one in the future? There is no denying that research is extremely important for human life.
