Nature of Science
The Nature of science (NOS) is an overarching theme in the biology, chemistry and physics courses. This section, titled “Nature of science”, is in the biology, chemistry and physics guides to support teachers in their understanding of what is meant by the nature of science. The “Nature of science” section of the guide provides a comprehensive account of the nature of science in the 21st century. It will not be possible to cover in this document all the themes in detail in the three science courses, either for teaching or assessment. It has a paragraph structure (1.1, 1.2, etc) to link the significant points made to the syllabus references on the NOS. The NOS parts in the subject-specific sections of the guide are examples of a particular understanding.
Long-Term Science: When Research Outlives The Researcher
hide captionWilliam Beal, standing at center, started a long-term study on seed germination in 1879. He buried 20 bottles with seeds in them for later researchers to unearth and plant. Michigan State University William Beal, standing at center, started a long-term study on seed germination in 1879.
The Island of Knowledge: How to Live with Mystery in a Culture Obsessed with Certainty and Definitive Answers
by Maria Popova “We strive toward knowledge, always more knowledge, but must understand that we are, and will remain, surrounded by mystery.” “Our human definition of ‘everything’ gives us, at best, a tiny penlight to help us with our wanderings,” Benjamen Walker offered in an episode of his excellent Theory of Everything podcast as we shared a conversation about illumination and the art of discovery. Thirty years earlier, Carl Sagan had captured this idea in his masterwork Varieties of Scientific Experience, where he asserted: “If we ever reach the point where we think we thoroughly understand who we are and where we came from, we will have failed.”
The Thick of It: lines of the week – episode one
Roger Allam as Peter Mannion in The Thick Of It. Photograph: Des Willie/BBC SPOILER ALERT: This weekly blog is for those who are watching The Thick of It series four. Don't read on if you haven't seen episode one.
The Scientific Method
The Scientific Method For centuries, people based their beliefs on their interpretations of what they saw going on in the world around them without testing their ideas to determine the validity of these theories — in other words, they didn’t use the scientific method to arrive at answers to their questions. Rather, their conclusions were based on untested observations.
Myth: "Eventually, science will explain everything."
“Eventually Science Will Explain Everything” “Surely,” some people think, “ultimately there will be a “theory of everthing”, and science will tell us all there is to know. To respond to this we need first to note that in physics there has long been a bit of a puzzle. In 1915/16 Albert Einstein published his theory of general relativity. Einstein portrayed the universe in terms of four dimensions: the usual three plus time. This has a curved structure, and gravitation is (in a sense) the effect of space-time warps caused by objects.
There is a culture of acceptance around mental health issues in academia
It is all too common to see PhD students work themselves to the point of physical and mental illness in order to complete their studies. It is less common to see PhD students who feel that they are under such pressure that the only option is suicide. But it does happen. There is a culture of acceptance around mental health issues in academia – and this needs to change.
Bob Dylan finds God – a classic article from the vaults
Nothing guarantees more scorn in rock 'n' roll circles than a man who gets religion. I mean, we pay these guys to visit hell and bring us back colour slides and here they go slipping off to heaven. It's a severe breach of contract. Bob Dylan's newfound faith shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, though.
What is Science?
What is science? The question of AUmbrellaology@ Introduction to Astronomy (PHSX 1030) Adam Johnston Imagine that you receive the following letter.
