PREFACE

The year 2020, verging to a close, is one of the most difficult and hardest years in the life of mankind over the last century. Unfortunately, it is in the 20th year of each century for the last several hundred years that human civilization has been suffering from another global pandemic (to say nothing of local and regional pandemics)… Several pandemics of plague killed at least 300 million people, and the highest incidence in Europe occurred in 1720‒1722. In 1817‒1824, the First Cholera Pandemic spread across the world. One hundred years later, in 1918‒1920, fifty million lives worldwide were claimed by the Spanish flu (H1N1). For a year now, starting in December 2019 and throughout 2020, the entire world is fighting the 21st century pandemic – the global COVID-19 outbreak caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Despite all the difficulties that humanity faces today, life goes on, and the world scientific community is persistently looking for ways to get out of the latest pandemic trap. The world has learned the lessons of pandemics and learned to use the acquired knowledge and scientific legacy of past generations. This led to a quick response to the challenges that life presents us. In December 2020, at this writing, several pharmaceutical companies have already announced the invention of vaccines and the final stages of their trials. We hope that our esteemed authors and readership will witness yet another victory of science over the world's evil. 10 years ago to the day, creation of the History of Science and Technology journal began. Therefore, we would like to summarize some of the work undertaken over the years. The first issue of History of Science and Technology was published in 2011.