Science

[ayarella]

This thread is to discuss science, ask questions about science. Specifically, biology, chemistry, and geology. How much science have you had? Did you like it, hate it, or just hate the way it was taught. What is your favorite thing about the scientific world? How much do YOU know about science?

[Linaewen]

Me? As some people here know, I'm a science (as well as a language) freak. Yes, I've studied all of the above, and I like them all. In relation to biology, I like everything except plant biology (please kill me if there is anything about xylem or phloem on my exam tomorrow!). I love all chemistry, nuclear physics, geology's ok. My favourite part of science this year was go-carting for the purpose of 'experiencing inertia'.

Errr, maybe I should find some questions to ask about science. *Can't think*

[ayarella]

I agree....plant biology is not my favorite subject to study. However, I am partial to Geology since that is my major! How do you think science explains phenomena like the bermuda triangle? Do you think it adequately explains it?

[Dwarven Sen]

I'm studying Chemistry and Astronomy at university right now (really should be somewhere... maths tutorial!! Oops) I've given up on all forms of biological sciences now, thank goodness.
I really couldn't say much about the bermuda triangle as i've never studied the science behind it. I do know that on the back bench of my chemistry lecture theatre someone has drawn The Triangle of Doom.

[Lizra]

Oooh....Botany! Love it! I think I'll go draw some xylemn and phloem pictures now. What's that cute little formula for dna we memorized? Adenine, guanine, tuarine and what else? Too bad memory doesn't last forever. Photosynthesis rules!

[Draken]

Was fairly good at most things at school (bar languages!) but I always found science more interesting and drifted into it. Ended up taking an Applied Physics degree. Always seemed a shame to me that science and the arts are kept so separate - to me there isn't much to match the creativity of minds like Newton and Einstein.

If in doubt though, be a scientist - scientists can stilly easily appreciate art, literature and music, while arty types are rarely equipped to appreciate science.

As for the Bermuda Triangle, it doesn't need science to explain it: just look as far as a mix of untrue, half-true and true-but-so-what stories and an author wanting to make a fast buck.

[Khamûl]

Originally posted by Lizra
Adenine, guanine, tuarine and what else? Too bad memory doesn't last forever.

Best I remember, there's adenine, thyamine, guanine, and cytocine. I'm probably wrong though, it's been 3 years since I took biology.

[The Gaffer]

OK, here's a pet gripe about how we treat science in general, and science graduates in particular.

Throughout the 80s, we were told (by Government types) "we need scientists!", so kids were encouraged to do science degrees.

Now, it transpires that the career path for scientists is appalling. After your degree, if you've got a first, you might have a chance of getting to do a PhD. For that, you'll get paid a pittance for three more years of doing someone else's research for them. Then, if you're lucky, you might land a job as a research assistant, and continue to get paid a pittance to do someone else's research for them.

Perhaps if you're one of a very, very small and select band, who have all the right contacts and have published in the right journals, you might eventually land a principal researcher's job and get paid slightly more than a pittance and have teams of people to do your research for you. (However, you still won't be able to afford to put your kids through university.)

Out in the real world, employers would rather give the swanky jobs to someone with an English degree who can communicate effectively. You can, of course, opt to work as a drone in some pharma company laboratory. Or, if you want a chance of career development, re-train as something else, such as IT or teaching.

Meanwhile, society as a whole perceives scientists as, at best, geeks or, at worst, corporate Frankensteins meddling with nature.

This gripe has been based on the experience of many scientists I have known, whose enthusiasm and commitment to the advancement of knowledge has been relentlessly ground down over the years. Of the 30-40 or so people I could name off the top of my head, only two or three are still actively doing science. Of the larger number of people I know who are doing science, only two or three actually studied it at university (most of them did medicine or some other health care degree).

I wonder if others have had the same, or different, experiences.

WHOOPS! Didn't answer the question: favourite thing would be the understanding it gives of the world, and the greater appreciation thereof.

[Lizra]

Originally posted by Khamûl
Best I remember, there's adenine, thyamine, guanine, and cytocine. I'm probably wrong though, it's been 3 years since I took biology.

Your 3 years beats my 30! I go with yours!

[brownjenkins]

I wonder if others have had the same, or different, experiences.

my love is theatre and music... hard to make money there too

that said, i do both in my free time as i can... i think it's relatively rare to be able to make a living in the thing that really interests you most, at least without a lot of dedication to get to that point (unless you really love being a car salesmen or realtor )

on science, i love astronomy and physics... especially the real revolutionary ideas... i think almost all theories we hold true today will be turned on their heads in the next 100 years

[zinnite]

Originally posted by ayarella
How much science have you had?
I've pretty much had it all, as far as the basic stuff goes, and some advanced study in the earth sciences (geology, meteorology, climatology, and, though not exactly a true science, I have a BS in Geography). I'm also a freak for astronomy and cosmology.
Did you like it, hate it, or just hate the way it was taught.
I loved all the subjects, except for chemistry and biology, which I merely liked. I had some fantastic intructors (if someone can make you excited about soils, then they're good), and some horrible ones (in chemistry and biology--many different classes, all lousy, which is probably why I don't get into those fields as much as others).
What is your favorite thing about the scientific world?
There's always something new to find out about.
How much do YOU know about science?
Enough to carry on a conversation, not enough to be satisfied.

[ayarella]

Yes, as I understand it (biology 1 yr ago in the DNA molecule the adenine is linked to the thyamine and the guanine is linked to the cytosine. When it is transalated into RNA (single strand) for production or protein...the thyamine no longer exists...it is transalated into a new base called uracil which matches with the adenine. The phosphates are linked by the weakest bonds known (hydrogen bonds) but there are so many that the attraction is extremely powerful. Hydrogen bonding is extremely fascinating. That is what gives water it's unique qualities

[johnnyrod]

I'm not sure I agree with the Gaffer. As for my background, I have a degree in chemistry and have been working in this field for ten years. In some sort of perverse way I find it interesting, you can see how everything works. If you want to post questions I'll be happy to try to answer them.

There's no money in academic stuff, there's just nepotism and bitchiness really. There are a few unis that are good at what they do, but that's just the way it goes. In industry you don't need a PhD unless you want to pigeonhole yourself from day one in that little corner of your career. You'd never get a real career in science without a scientific degree, and for one outside of science I couldn't say.

As for the image, well, there are a lot of geeks around. Chemistry seems split down the middle between rugby players and geeks, with a few other sort of bods hanging around. Image is a problem, but then that goes for lawyers, salespeople, etc. etc. We can't change stereotypes or peoples' ignorance about what really goes on.

[The Gaffer]

Hydrogen bonds are very cool. You get them in booze too. I remember that "water ought to be a gas" bit in chemistry; I think it was then that I realised that physics and chemistry are really the same thing.

Yes, it's not many people that can make their living from what they love best. I suppose basic science (knowledge for its own sake) has to be distinguished from applied science.

Most of the science I work with is around very practical stuff. Rigorous research methods are (surprisingly) relatively new to medicine.

One of the most interesting things about this area is how often the "knowledge" we think we have, based on biochemistry and physiology, is proven wrong by properly conducted trials.

[Sheeana]

I've done a bit of everything. My undergraduate degree is in anthropology, so I've covered anatomy, geology, geography, biology (bio-archaeology, and all its offshoots), and so forth. I supposed I most enjoyed anatomy, and always regretted that I didn't do Medical Anthropology. Perhaps I'll do it next year when I do my Post-Graduate Science Diploma.... Anyway, I'm doing GIS at the moment, which can deal with stats, and physical phenomena like environmental effects, as well as cultural phenomena like tourism, etc. I think of myself as a trapped scientist stuck in a social-science body!

[Grey_Wolf]

So Science doesn't involve technology at all, does it. Since you all mention Biology, Geography, geology, Anthropology. Is my assumption correct?

[zinnite]

Originally posted by Grey_Wolf
So Science doesn't involve technology at all, does it. Since you all mention Biology, Geography, geology, Anthropology. Is my assumption correct?

WELL... Science, as a broad subject encompassing many different areas of study, and as a simple concept, does not require technology. Modern science employs technology to refine and enhance research and obtain more accurate and precise data.

Biology (outside of gen bio classes) makes use of lots of technology, as does geology and geography. Sheeana mentioned GIS--geographic information systems--and that's about as high-tech as one can get.

Of course, it all depends on how you would define technology--the equipment Newton and Galileo used was just as technological as today's particle accelerators and satellite imagine systems, if more primitive.

[cassiopeia]

Hey, Lin's back! Hello!

I've just graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Astrophysics, but I've studied other disciplines as well: chemistry, psychology, physics and earth science. And I've studied lots of mathematics. My major weakness is biology, I haven't studied that since I was fifteen.

Astronomy's my favourite subject, but interested in all new discoveries.

Does anybody have favourite scientific authors? My favourite author is Carl Sagan. A Demon Haunted World changed my life.

P.S I agree with the Gaffer. And it's hard to get a job.

[HOBBIT]

Photosynthesis rules!

Are you insane? Photosynthesis does not rule! I did not understand that chapter too well

It seems so simple - light from sun turned into energy......but noooooooo it has to be so complicated.

Light from sun absorbed by the pigments in the chloroplasts in the thylakoid membrane... Chlorophyll a (reflects green), chlorophyll b (reflects green, accessory pigment), xanophyll (reflects yellow), and carotenoids (reflects orange).

Then the photons from the sun go on the electron transport chain where the electrons are transferred accross the proteins where they go from phtosystem II to photsystem I.

That was all from memory....then it goes on to creating NADP and NADPH and ATP, then the Calvin Cycle.

My problem was: ok, I know that ATP is chemical energy, but ADP, NADP, NADPH, RuBP, PGA, PGAL - I never really got what those were.....

Now we are on cells and DNA and such....

Can anyone give me simple definitons of what Carbohydrates are? What lipids are, proteins, phosphates, etc.......... the book definitions don't exactly help. I've gone over this stuff, just a bit hazy on EXACTLY what they are....

Most definitions for words just confuse me more!

But overall, biology is pretty interesting and I am understanding most of it, although it can be dull at times.

Maybe all you smart science majors can help me with bio in the future with stuff I don't get *evil grin* .

*taking honors BIO in High School, not college level*

[ayarella]

Hey HOBBIT,

Biology wasn't the most fascinating science for me either. I think that this is a website that might help with your definitions...give it a try: http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/search/dict-search.html The thing about definitions is that they try to describe an event or purpose of something. The best way for me to remember the purpose of a specific thing is moving diagrams and drawings...understanding their function is the key after all. Look on the back of your textbook and it should have a website. Those websites are the best for illustrations and quizzes. I wish I could remember the website from my Honors Biology 2010 (college). That was my best friend that semester Plus it had the best definitions...I will look for it.