During the quarantine imposed by the epidemic, Agustín Colombier decided that he would use the free time he had to publish scientific data via Twitter.

The 27-year-old who lives on the outskirts of La Plata is a biotechnologist who last year received his studies at the Higher Institute of Teacher Training and Technical Training No. 213 in Ensenada. While studying for the finals, he began explaining issues related to coronavirus and vaccines on networks with two goals: Fight misinformation and challenge yourself as a professional.

Read also: Tomato taste controversy: Greenpeace targeted agrochemicals, an entity in the field denied it

Agustín on Twitter: 280 characters of information for everyone to understand about science

“If I really understand a topic, I should be able to explain it so everyone can understand it and sum it up in 280 characters. So when I find something that I find interesting to tweet, I don’t do it right away: I absorb it, think about it, correct it until I post it. I even try to discuss issues with my family and friends as well,” he told TN.

On his BiotecnoBlog account, he tweeted about “Everything biotech includes, which is very broad: genetics, biofuels, biological sciences, and issues related to agriculture.”

“There is a lot of ignorance and the only way to stop it is to expose the data. Someone says something, and if it is combined with prejudices and fears, it becomes like a snowball that is difficult to stop, ”this is what the young man considered.

Why BiotecnoBlog went viral

When he opened his Twitter account in 2012, She has 500 followers and has crossed 12,000 after replying to green area, About why “today’s tomatoes don’t have as much flavor as they used to be”.

“Hi Greenpeace, I’m back. And because they never tire of saying things without a scientific basis, an explanation thread comes out. Spoiler: Nothing to do with herbicidesThis tweet has been shared over 5,000 times and has over 12,900 likes.

In simple words, Colombere explained that the difference is due to a natural mutation in the SIGLK2 gene that affects aroma and flavor characteristics. “Can you restore the flavor of what was before to today’s tomatoes? Of course! But for that, some practice that scares them is necessary: ​​genetic manipulation of tomatoes,” he explains on the social network.

Is everything chemical bad and everything good natural?

for youth There are a lot of people who “demonize science and habilitate nature.”, without knowing the processes.” “Researchers are not sadists who want to kill animals and destroy the world, and nature is not so beautiful: a plague on a farm can leave a community without food, and human intervention is needed to be able to maintain the quality of life,” Agustin explained.

This was confirmed by the world of biotechnology “No one cares more about animals and their land than agricultural producers.”And that, before launching campaigns on networks, it is necessary to take into account “the times of application of some products, and the times of consumption”. “If I don’t use herbicides in time, nature moves ahead and we don’t eat. It is ideal to eat food without any chemicals, such as the desire to treat yourself from some diseases without taking pills“, It is to explain.

Although some haters criticize Agustin for “not giving him firewood” for spreading science on networks, he is committed to continuing his work to help users “not panic as a result of misinformation.” “You don’t have to get carried away by nostalgia and think that everything was better. Things happened but you didn’t find out because it didn’t spread. He concluded that you have to trust the science and look for reputable sources of information.”