Academia is often thought of as an ivory tower full of well-paid out-of-touch scientists, but in reality research and higher education is typically a passion job, with all that this implies: relatively low pay compared to the length and cost of studies, very long hours and poor working conditions. And the trend in many countries has been downward, with institutions trying to cut costs, notably by increasingly relying on poorly paid temporary positions (PhD students and post-doctorates).
For a long time this has gone on with little reaction, but COVID seems to have open the gates. Many scientists are now leaving teaching or research positions. Institutions and governments will have to take note, or the main impact of a crisis that research was instrumental in responding to will have been, perversely, less science.
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