Chile's Earthquake May Set Back Research for Years

摘要

Scientists in Chile have lost years of research from last month's massive earthquake, which overturned microscopes, destroyed research labs, and took the life of a young marine biologist. Researchers in fields from developmental biology to oceanography are trying to regroup.rnThe worst structural damage was to the two research universities in Concepcion and Talca, both close to the epicenter of the magnitude-8.8 quake that struck on 27 February. At the University of Concepcion, a fire ravaged the building that houses one of Chile's leading chemistry centers, including an advanced polymers lab. The building, although "still standing, burned completely," says Jaime Baeza, the university's vice-rector for research.