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So you're into sci fi? But what about sci fact? Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction... Each month our very own Voyager Science Queen* will bring you interesting, quirky and downright bizarre tid bits from the world of science. And its all completely, totally, 100% true! August Sci-Facts |
| Bits and Bobs |
|
At the moment, the scientific community is aflame with new discoveries: discoveries such as Teleportation, Organ Replacement and Gene Research. But, even though the average Joe has a good basic understanding of the general research, I find that there are some glaring deficiencies in some of the popular beliefs that underpin these scientific principles. And, generally, these discoveries are viewed with some suspicion as your average human being loathes change…even if the changes are beneficial. I believe that these misgivings are generated by the 'jargon' that most scientists use. So, this month, I am going to spend a little time explaining two of the better-known misconceptions or obtuse terms. |
| Evolution |
|
Let's bite the bullet with one of the most overused words in the English
language; it's right up there with the word 'extreme' for popularity. Evolution, in biological use of the term, is about how life forms change
to suit their environment. Charles Darwin never used the phrase 'survival
of the fittest' in his original book; some clever journalist coined the
phrase when discussing theory. For some reason, it seems that most people
feel that the animals 'know' what they are trying to evolve into…like
the ancestor of the giraffe said, "Hey, I'm going to grow a long
neck so that I can eat the leaves of trees instead of grass". This
is not the case. Most species go through a process of winnowing the weak or ill, due to
predation or environmental factors. For example, say you have a tribe
of people living next to a cliff. People who sleep walk will tend to die
off more quickly than the sound sleepers. Over a long period of time,
the sound sleepers will live longer, breed long and supply more offspring
to the population. Eventually, the tribe will consist of people who stay
in their own beds, with only the rare occurrence of a sleepwalker occurring.
The tribe has evolved away from the original stock. No one individual feature can be declared beneficial or otherwise. In
some human populations, there are people who suffer from various types
of anaemia. These people generally die young, and yet they usually persist
in large numbers within these populations. This is because their affliction
affords them some protection from malaria and/or other blood diseases.
When there is an epidemic of malaria, these people may be the only ones
who survive to produce offspring in any number. And so, evolution is 'selecting'
for the survivors, those individuals within a species that will help the
species persist, even if it means that the end result might be very different
to the ancestral stock. |
| Schrödinger's Cat |
|
One of the most well known concepts in physics is "Schrödinger's
Cat". For some reason, the whole idea of the cruelty to cats attracts
and captures the imagination. A lot of the time, no one seems to really
know what the whole thing is about, except it involves putting some poor
kitty into a box with a jar of poison & a trigger, involving radioactive
isotopes, that will release the poison at some random moment. Simply, the cat in the box can be dead or alive…it can't be half
dead. But, statistically, there is a fifty percent chance of the cat dying
after a certain period of time. And, if you are confused about the issue,
you might incorrectly say that the cat is 'half' alive and 'half' dead'.
In reality, you would have to observe the cat to know for sure. Schrödinger
was trying to explain the various 'states' of quantum wave functions in
real terms, not using the fuzzy logic of incorrectly applied statistics.
For fun and yet informative further insights into Schrödinger's concept, try "The Science of Discworld" by Terry Pratchett, pages 94 & 95. *** I hope this clears up some of the fog surrounding these
terms. Scientists do not mean to be deliberately obtuse; it's just that
they can forget that not everyone knows what an isotope is, or what parts
make up a cell, and other information that they confront on a daily basis. |
|
*The Voyager Science Queen is also known as Lynne Green So, who is this woman who attempts to entertain us with Science? Well, I really am a scientist. I have a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Queensland, in Zoology. And, at the moment, I am working in a Pathology laboratory. I have always been intensely curious about every aspect of our universe, from the teeny tiny workings of the gene right up to the mind-bending forces that are twisting and knotting inside a blackhole. So, now I am sharing a brain stuffed full of trivia…and hopefully entertaining people at the same time. As well, I write Fantasy stories and novels. One day, I hope to have a book published, but don't hold your breath. Reading is my other major love, and my favourite authors are Terry Pratchett and Isaac Asimov, though I could list hundreds of others. If I had one wish, I ask for more time to write! Read previous Sci-Facts: Australian Achievements Looking for more scientific oddities? Have you checked out Dr Steven Juan's website? He is, quite literally, the wizard of odds! |
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