The phrase 'world beating' science (& apps in #Covid19) is being normalised. But science is incremental and based on global discovery. Govts *choose* to fund science poorly, making us compete with each other for scarce resources. We all lose in the world-beating game:

'World beating' teams hide findings to avoid being scooped; 'great man of science' narratives and financial rewards encourage fraud and poor treatment of junior staff; PROGRESS IS SLOWER or even sent down dead ends by fraudulent claims that muddy the waters.

We waste time applying for research grants that are graded 'excellent' but not funded (& funding goes disproportionately to white men). Expertise built up in teams is lost through funding gaps when job security is rare.

COVID-19 shows how we can do great things when we work together - interdisciplinary, international science at pace is creating life saving treatments and other discoveries. How many other discoveries have been lost from teams who have to apply for funds before even starting work?

Let's do world class science, not 'world beating' science. Who are we trying to 'beat' and why? When we set up science with winners and losers, we all lose.