nature of science short essay

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Position Statement

Nature of Science

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Introduction

Nature of science (NOS) is a critical component of scientific literacy that enhances students’ understandings of science concepts and enables them to make informed decisions about scientifically-based personal and societal issues. NOS is derived not only from the eight science practices delineated in the Framework for K–12 Science Education (2012), but also from decades of research supporting the various forms of systematic gathering of information through direct and indirect observations of the natural world and the testing of this information by the various research methods used in science, such as descriptive, correlational, and experimental designs. All science educators and those involved with science teaching and learning should have a shared accurate view of nature of scientific knowledge, and recognize that NOS should be taught explicitly alongside science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts.

It is important to know that this new iteration of NOS improves upon the previous NSTA position statement on this topic (NSTA 2000) that used the label “nature of science,” which included a combination of characteristics of scientific knowledge (NOS) and scientific inquiry. It demonstrated the common conflation of how scientific knowledge is developed and its characteristics. Since the recent NSTA position statement on science practices, previously referred to as “inquiry” (NSTA 2018), clearly delineates how knowledge is developed in science, a more appropriate label for the focus of this position statement would be “nature of scientific knowledge” (NOSK). This would clarify the difference between how knowledge is developed from the characteristics of the resulting knowledge. Clearly the two are closely related, but they are different (Lederman & Lederman 2014). However, introducing a new label (i.e., NOSK), given that the NGSS refers to the characteristics of scientific knowledge as NOS, would create more confusion. It will be clear that the discussion of NOS here is about the characteristics of scientific knowledge. Additionally, the word “the” is removed preceding NOS to avoid implying that a single set of knowledge characteristics exists.

Why Learn About Nature of Science?

Understanding of NOS is a critical component of scientific literacy. It enhances students’ understandings of science concepts and enables them to make informed decisions about scientifically-based personal and societal issues. Although NOS has been viewed as an important educational outcome for science students for more than 100 years, it was Showalter’s (1974) work that galvanized NOS as an important construct within the overarching framework of scientific literacy. Admittedly, the phrase scientific literacy had been discussed by numerous others before Showalter (e.g., Dewey 1916; Hurd 1958; National Education Association 1918, 1920; National Society for the Study of Education 1960; among others), but it was his work that clearly delineated the dimensions of scientific literacy in a manner that could easily be translated into objectives for science curricula. NOS and science processes (now known as inquiry or practices) were clearly emphasized as equally important as “traditional” science subject matter and should also be taught explicitly, just as is done with other science subject matter (Bybee 2013). The attributes of a scientifically literate individual were later reiterated and elaborated upon by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA 1982).

Declarations

The National Science Teaching Association endorses the proposition that science, along with its methods, explanations, and generalizations, must be the sole focus of instruction in science classes to the exclusion of all nonscientific or pseudoscientific methods, explanations, generalizations, and products.

NSTA makes the following declarations for science educators to support teaching NOS . The following premises, as well as the terminology (e.g., tentative, subjective, etc.) of nature of science, are critical and developmentally appropriate (for precollege students). They should be understood by all students by the time they graduate high school. The understandings are elaborated slightly beyond the items listed in the Next Generation Science Standards ( NGSS ).

• Scientific knowledge is simultaneously reliable and subject to change. Having confidence in scientific knowledge is reasonable, while also realizing that such knowledge may be abandoned or modified in light of new evidence or a re-conceptualization of prior evidence and knowledge. The history of science reveals both evolutionary and revolutionary changes. With new evidence and interpretation, old ideas are replaced or supplemented by newer ones. Because scientific knowledge is partly the result of inference, creativity, and subjectivity, it is subject to change (AAAS 1993; Kuhn 1962).
• Although no single universal step-by-step scientific method captures the complexity of doing science, a number of shared values and perspectives characterize a scientific approach to understanding nature. Among these are a demand for naturalistic explanations supported by empirical evidence that are, at least in principle, testable against the natural world. Other shared elements include observations, rational argument, inference, skepticism, peer review, and reproducibility of the work. This characteristic of science is also a component of the idea that “science is a way of knowing” as distinguished from other ways of knowing (Feyerabend 1975; Moore 1993; NGSS Lead States 2013).
• In general, all scientific knowledge is a combination of observations and inferences (Chalmers 1999; Gould 1981). For example, students of all ages pay attention to weather forecasts. Weather forecasters make observations, and their forecasts are inferences. All science textbooks have a picture of the atom, but the picture is really an inference from observable data of how matter behaves.
• Creativity is a vital, yet personal, ingredient in the production of scientific knowledge. It is a component of science as a human endeavor (Bronowski 1956; Hoffman & Torrence 1993; Kuhn 1962).
• Subjectivity is an unavoidable aspect of scientific knowledge. Because “science is a human endeavor,” it is subject to the functions of individual human thinking and perceptions. Although objectivity is always desired in the interpretation of data, some subjectivity is unavoidable and often beneficial (Chalmers 1999; Gould 1981; Laudan 1977).
• Science, by definition, is limited to naturalistic methods and explanations, and as such, is precluded from using supernatural elements in the production of scientific knowledge. This is a component of the recognition that scientific knowledge is empirically based (Hoffman & Torrence 1993).
• A primary goal of science is the formation of theories and laws, which are terms with very specific meanings:
• Laws are generalizations or universal relationships related to the way that some aspect of the natural world behaves under certain conditions. They describe relationships among what has been observed in the natural world. For example, Boyle’s Law describes the relationship between pressure and volume of a gas at a constant temperature (Feynman 1965; Harre 1983; National Academy of Sciences 1998).
• Theories are inferred explanations of some aspect of the natural world. They provide explanations for what has been stated in scientific laws. Theories do not become laws even with additional evidence; they explain laws. However, not all scientific laws have accompanying explanatory theories (Feynman 1965; Harre 1983; Mayr 1988; National Academy of Sciences 1998; Ruse 1998).
• be internally consistent and compatible with the best available evidence;
• be successfully tested against a wide range of applicable phenomena and evidence; and
• possess appropriately broad and demonstrable effectiveness in further research (Kuhn 1962; Lakatos 1983; Popper 1968).
• Contributions to science can be made and have been made by people the world over. As a consequence, science does not occur in a vacuum. It affects society and cultures, and it is affected by the society and culture within which it occurs (AAAS 1993; Showalter 1974).
• The scientific questions asked, the observations made, and the conclusions in science are to some extent influenced by the existing state of scientific knowledge, the social and cultural context of the researcher, and the observer’s experiences and expectations. Again, scientific knowledge is partially subjective and socially and culturally embedded (Lederman & Lederman 2014; NSTA 2000).

These premises combined provide the foundation for how scientific knowledge is formed and are foundational to nature of science. The NGSS (2013) lists the following eight components of NOS. Given the previous discussion about the differences between how knowledge is developed and what is done with that knowledge as scientific practice, items 1, 5, and 6 are arguably more aligned with science practices (or inquiry) than characteristics of scientific knowledge. Practices and knowledge are obviously entangled in the real world and in classroom instruction, yet it is important for teachers of science to know the difference between science practices and the characteristics of scientific knowledge to best lead students to a comprehensive understanding of nature of science. Items 5 and 7 are a bit vague for concrete use in K–12 classrooms. Consequently, a more concrete discussion of what these items mean was provided in the previous section.

NSTA recommends that by the time they graduate from high school, students should understand the following concepts related to NOS:

• Scientific Investigations Use a Variety of Methods;
• Scientific Knowledge Is Based on Empirical Evidence;
• Scientific Knowledge Is Open to Revision in Light of New Evidence;
• Science Models, Laws, Mechanisms, and Theories Explain Natural Phenomena;
• Science Is a Way of Knowing;
• Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems;
• Science Is a Human Endeavor; and
• Science Addresses Questions About the Natural and Material World.

Concluding Remarks

NOS (i.e., the characteristics of scientific knowledge as derived from how it is produced) has long been recognized as a critical component of scientific literacy. It is necessary knowledge for students to make informed decisions with respect to the ever-increasing scientifically-based personal and societal issues. The research clearly indicates that for students to learn about NOS, it must be planned for and assessed just like any of the instructional goals focusing on science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts (Lederman 2007; Lederman & Lederman 2014). It is not learned by chance, simply by doing science. NOS is best understood by students if it is explicitly addressed within the context of students’ learning of science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts. “Explicit” does not mean that the teacher should lecture about NOS. Rather, it refers to reflective discussions among students about the science concepts they are learning (Clough 2011).All aspects of NOS cannot and should not be taught in a single lesson, nor are all aspects developmentally appropriate for all grade levels. For example, understandings of the differences between theories and laws or the cultural embeddedness of science are not developmentally appropriate for K–5 students. Nevertheless, NOS should be included at all grade levels as a unifying theme for the K–12 science curriculum. All too often, NOS is only taught explicitly at the beginning of a science course, independent of any of the science content that will subsequently follow. Instead, NOS should be taught as a unifying theme with the expectation that students’ knowledge will progressively become more and more sophisticated as they progress through the K–12 curriculum.

—Adopted by the NSTA Board of Directors, January 2020

Research and Theoretical References

Abd-El-Khalick, F., and N.G. Lederman. 2000. Improving science teachers’ conceptions of the nature of science: A critical review of the literature. International Journal of Science Education 22 (7): 665–701.

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). 1993. Benchmarks for science literacy. New York: Oxford University Press.

Bronowski, J. 1956. Science and human values. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, Inc.

Bybee, R.W. 2013. Translating the NGSS for classroom imstruction. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.

Chalmers, A.F. 1999. What is this thing called science? Queensland, AU: University of Queensland Press.

Dewey, J. 1916. Democracy and education. New York: The Free Press.

Feyerabend, P.F. 1975. Against method: Outline of an anarchistic theory of knowledge. Great Britain: Redwood, Burn Limited.

Feynman, R.P. 1965. The character of physical law. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Gould, S.J. 1981. The mismeasure of man. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

Hoffman, R., and V. Torrence. 1993. Chemistry imagined: Reflections on science. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.

Hurd, P.D. 1958. Science literacy : 16 (1): 13–16.

Kuhn, T.S. 1962. The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Lakatos, I. 1983. Mathematics, science, and epistemology. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Laudan, L. 1977. Progress and its problems: Towards a theory of scientific growth. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Lederman, N.G. 2007. Nature of science: Past, present, and future. In Handbook of research on science education, ed. S.K. Abell and N.G. Lederman, 831–880. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Lederman, N.G., and J.S. Lederman. 2014. Research on teaching and learning of nature of science. In Handbook of research on science education, Volume II,  ed. N.G. Lederman and S.K. Abell, 600–620. New York: Routledge.

Mayr, E. 1988. Toward a new philosophy in biology. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Moore, J. 1993. Science as a way of knowing: The foundation of modern biology . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

National Education Association. 1918. Cardinal principles of secondary education: A report of the commission on the reorganization of secondary education. (U.S. Bureau of Education Bulletin No. 35). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

National Education Association. 1920. Reorganization of science in secondary schools: A report of the commission on the reorganization of secondary education. (U.S. Bureau of Education Bulletin No. 20). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

National Research Council (NRC). 2012. A framework for K–12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. National Science Teachers Association. 1982. Science-technology-society: Science education for the 1980s. Washington, DC: Author.

National Science Teachers Association. 2018. Transitioning from scientific inquiry to three-dimensional teaching and learning. Arlington, VA: Author.

National Science Teachers Association. 2000. The nature of science: NSTA Position Statement . Arlington, VA: Author.

National Society for the Study of Education. 1960. Rethinking Science Education: Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. Chicago: University of Chicago Press 59: 113.

NGSS Lead States. 2013. Next generation science standards: For states, by states. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards.

Popper, K.R. 1968. The logic of scientific discovery. New York: Harper & Row Publishers.

Ruse, M. (Ed.) 1998. Philosophy of biology. New York: Prometheus Books.

Showalter, V.M. 1974. What is unified science education? Program objectives and scientific literacy. Prism 2 (3–4): 1–6.

References of Teaching Resources

Bell, R.L. 2008. Teaching the nature of science through process skills: Activities for grades 3–8 . New York: Pearson.

Clough, M.P. 2011. Teaching and assessing the nature of science: How to effectively incorporate the nature of science in your classroom. The Science Teacher 78 (6): 56–60 

Clough, M.P., and J.K. Olson. 2004. The nature of science: Always part of the science story. The Science Teacher 71 (9): 28–31.

Lederman, N.G., and F. Abd-El-Khalick. 1998. Avoiding de-natured science: Activities that promote understandings of the nature of science. In The nature of science in science education: Rationales and strategies , ed. W.F. McComas, 83–126. The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

McComas, W.F., ed. 2019. Nature of science in science instruction: Rationales and strategies . Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer Publishing.

National Academy of Sciences. 1998. Teaching about evolution and the nature of science . Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

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Essay on Science: Meaning, Scope, Nature, Technology and Society

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Essay on Science:- 1. Meaning and Definitions of Science 2. Scope of Science 3. Nature of Science 4. Physical Science 5. Science and Social Environment 6. Science and Technology 7. Science and Society 8. Scientific Method and Its Steps.

• Essay on Scientific Method and Its Steps

Essay # 1. Meaning and Definitions of Science :

Meaning of Science:

The English word Science is derived from a Latin Verb ‘Scire’, which means ‘to know’ and Latin Noun ‘Scientia’ which means ‘knowledge’. Meaning of Science is based on German word ‘ Wissenchaft’, which means systematic, organized knowledge. Thus, Science is a systematized knowledge.

The necessity and curiosity of man to know about himself and his surroundings has led him to investigate, find and to know about living beings and nature, which to verifiable knowledge of facts. But Science is not always about the collection of facts or development of new concepts or ideas. It is all about the passion for the discovery that drives one to explore the environment and the nature in every aspect.

Science is basically founded to investigate the nature and its processes. Although there are a number of other methods that can be utilized to acquire the knowledge about nature, but science is considered as the only one that results in the acquisition of reliable knowledge. Hence, Rene Descartes said, “Science is a method of investigating nature that discovers reliable knowledge about it.”

Science is the investigation of unknown phenomena and it also looks and compares with existing principles, theories and practices. Science is both a particular kind of activity and also the result of that activity. Science uses tools like observation, measurement and scientific experimentation and is entirely based on the observable facts.

Science is observation, identification, description, experimentation, investigation and theoretical explanation of the phenomenon that occur in nature.

Science could be described as the study, which attempts to perceive and understand the nature of the universe both living and non-living in its part and as a whole.

Definitions of Science :

During early times people perceived Science, as what the scientist does. There are many definitions available, though not a single definition could be universally accepted.

Some of the definitions are mentioned here to understand it from different angles:

1. According to Columbian Dictionary:

“Science is an accumulated and systematized learning in general usage restricted to natural phenomenon”.

2. Einstein (1879-1955):

“Science is an attempt to make the chaotic diversity of our sense experience corresponds to logically uniform system of thought”.

3. Fitzpatrick (1960):

“Science is a cumulative and endless series of empirical observations, which results in the formation of concepts and theories, with both concepts and theories being subject to modification in the light of further empirical observations. Science is both a body of knowledge and the process of acquiring it”.

4. Bronowski, J. (1956):

“Science as the organization of our knowledge in such a way that it commands or makes possible the explanation of more of the hidden potentialities found in the environment”.

5. Conant (1957):

“An interconnected series of concepts and conceptual schemes that have developed as a result of experimentation and observation and are fruitful of further experimentation and observation”.

6. Fisher (1975):

“Science is the body of Knowledge obtained by methods, based upon observation”.

The above definitions clearly reveal that Science is both a process and product. A comprehensive definition of Science would be “science is a systematized knowledge gained through human observation and experi­mentation of cause revealing the unknown phenomenon of nature and universe both living and non-living involving the process of critical, creative thinking and investigation including sometimes sudden insights too.”

Science = Process + Product

= Methods + Knowledge

= Scientific Method + Scientific Attitude + Scientific Knowledge

Essay #  2. Scope of Science :

Science is a body of knowledge obtained by methods based upon observation. Observation is authentic and that it is only through the senses of man that observations can be made. Thus, anything outside the limits of man’s senses is outside the limits of science. In other words, science deals with the universe and galaxies in the forms of matter and energy which is in the form of living and non-living.

Science employs a number of instruments to extend mail’s senses to the extremely minute to very vast, to the short-time duration or long-time duration, to dilute or to concentrate and so on and so forth which does not alter the conclusion that science is limited to that which is observable.

Thus, as in any other discipline contemporary experimental techniques set up some practical limitations but these are not to be confused with the intrinsic limitations inherent in the very nature of science. The knowledge of science is tested and retested and also reinvented.

Today the disciplines of Science and Social Sciences are drawing into each other. Behavioural zoologists study the sociology and psychology of animals. Archaeologists derive new insights from the rapid advances in chemical and physical analysis. Hence sciences should be understood with interdisciplinary approach within science as a whole. Biology draws on chemistry, physics and geology.

ADVERTISEMENTS: (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Essay # 3. Nature of Science:

Human by birth has quest for knowledge as they are curious of knowing about nature. They have a highly developed brain because of which they can observe precisely, correlate observations and predict future happenings on the basis of their observation. This ability helped humans to adjust to nature. The process of observing, describing, exploring and using the physical world is science.

Science has certain characteristics which distinguish it from other spheres of human endeavour.

These characteristics define the nature of science as discussed below:

Science is a Particular way of Looking at Nature :

1. Science is a way of learning about what the nature is, how the nature behaves and how the nature got to be the way it is.

2. Science focuses exclusively on the nature.

3. It is not simply a collection of facts; rather it is a path to understand the phenomenon underlying.

(i) Science is, just the nature existing around you.

(ii) Every day we look at the rising sun and pay great respect to it for bestowing the earth with its light in energy form.

(iii) The knowledge of all that is in the universe from the tiniest sub­atomic particles in an atom to universe and galaxies.

Science as a Rapidly Expanding Body of Knowledge :

1. Science is the dynamic, ever expanding knowledge, covering every new domain of experiences.

2. Knowledge refers to the product of science, such as the concepts and explanations.

3. Research being carried out in the field of science resulted in developing more knowledge at a faster pace sometimes by replacing old concepts, ideas or principles.

The technological developments that took place in recent times enhanced the acceleration of knowledge.

Science as an Interdisciplinary Area of Learning:

1. In the last two decades there have been studies claiming that science is becoming even more an interdisciplinary area of learning.

2. Science cannot be taught in isolation. All the branches of science are interdependent upon all other and there are a number of facts and principles which are common to various science subjects.

3. Knowledge started expanding day by day; scientists started specialising in certain areas. Hence the knowledge has been organized for convenience into different disciplines.

Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physics, biological and information sciences (including ecology, biology, physics, chemistry, zoology, mineralogy, oceanology, limnology, soil science, geology of atomospheric science and geodesy).

Science as a Truly International Enterprise :

1. International collaboration in most of the projects is the order of the day.

2. In collaborative research, visibility among the peer and active exploitation of complementary capabilities increase.

3. Share the costs of the projects that are large in scale and scope.

4. Able to access expensive physical resources.

5. Exchange ideas in order to encourage greater creativity.

The large Hadron collides; at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) has been build up by scientists drawn from many countries including India. The experiment on this machine is being conducted by scientists from many countries including many Indian scientists. In this sense, science do not belong to any single country or a group of countries and it would be morally and ethically wrong to deny the fruits of scientific development to any country in the world.

Science as Always Tentative :

Scientific models are always being questioned. Up-and-coming scientists always find gaps or errors in existing scientific models and develop a new one in place of them. In scientific field models have been tested and refined to such an extent that errors are likely to be minor. The real evidences need to be scrutinized carefully.

Marine researchers have expressed concern about the effect of global warming on the future of coral reefs because increasing sea temperature cause coral bleaching. Bleaching happens; the corals expel the algae that live within their cells die, when temperature rises. Recent research have tentatively showed that some algae may be able to adapt to temperature rises, consequently improved the chances that corals can survive.

Tentative Nature of Scientific Theories :

1. Scientific theories took decades in their development.

2. When two competing theories explain their observations related to a certain phenomenon, Scientists prefer to accept a theory which explains larger number of observations with few assumptions.

There was a time when both the geocentric and the heliocentric theories explained all the planetary observations. However geocentric theory had to introduce a new assumption every time. On the other hand, the heliocentric theory with just one assumption that all the planets revolve round the sun, it explained every available observation and eventually survived.

The fact remains that scientific theories are tentative and are always subject to change.

Science Promotes Skepticism :

“In science, keeping an open mind is a virtue just not so open that your brains fall out”-James Oberg.

1. Skepticism does not mean doubting the validity of everything, rather to judge the validity of a claim based on objective empirical evidences.

2. David Hume, the 18th century philosopher viewed that we should accept nothing as true unless the evidences available makes the non-existence of the thing more miraculous than its existence.

3. We examine the available evidences before reaching a decision until sufficient evidences are found.

Scientists are Highly Skeptic People :

‘Science is what scientists do’.

1. The scientists in different fields try to describe the phenomena in nature and establish their relationships.

2. After having described the phenomena, scientists attempt to find out the reason behind and make predictions.

3. Scientists use ideas of their own and of others as tools for testing and gaining knowledge. They use many resources to get valid answers to their questions and problems, by designing their own experiments and invent new tools with which they observe and check different phenomena. Hence, scientists are highly skeptic people.

For instances, if we look at Newton’s story the way he was inspired to formulate his theory of gravitation by watching the fall of an apple from a tree speaks his skeptic nature. Though many scientists and other common men were aware that all the objects descend perpendicularly to the ground, they never pondered upon it. This incident prompted Newton to explore the possibility of connecting gravity with the force that kept the moon on its orbit. This led him to the universal law of gravity.

Charles Goodyear (1800) a chemist and manufacturing engineer who developed vulcanized rubber. His discovery was accidental, where he explored the situation and after five years of searching for a more stable rubber and stumbling upon the effectiveness of heating.

Science Demands Perseverance from its Practitioners :

1. The important characteristic of science that brings development and progress is perseverance of scientists.

2. Scientists getting an inspirational idea or a creative thought have to persist with the idea to take it to its logical conclusions, based on facts or observations.

3. Scientists may work alone or join with others in developing the idea further to find out ways to discover or invention, While at other times the scientists can make only a beginning and then others join them in developing the idea further.

The discovery of the wonder drug pencillin by Alexander Fleming in 1929 is the result of an incident happened by a chance which led to serious observation followed by hard work paved the way for discovery of many other antibiotics like Streptomycin and Erythromycin.

Science as an Approach to Investigate and as a Process of Constructing Knowledge :

1. The investigations in science involve some form of scientific method.

2. Scientists for seeking solution to a problem use different methods like observation, prediction and sometimes experimentation to study the cause and effect relationship.

3. Whatever we observe through our senses (information) is sent to the brain and the brain processes the information by registering, classifying, generalising etc., and converts into knowledge. Sensory perception is primary in knowledge development.

4. Here, the individual constructs the knowledge on his own by applying their own mental abilities and intelligence to process the information received through senses.

5. The basic unit of knowledge is fact. In science any repeatedly verifiable observation becomes a fact.

6. Scientific approach always is based on cause and effect relation.

Examples of facts are:

i. Solids have definite shape and volume.

ii. The rainbow is seen in a direction opposite to that of the sun.

Essay #  4. Physical Science :

The child is interested to learn things which are related to his experiences. This could be possible only when the subjects are integrated and correlated rather than in isolation. The other physical sciences also have equally contributed a lot to the field of biological studies.

Obviously we can’t teach and understand each and every thing about a particular branch of science without the help of other sciences. The child on the other hand can’t appreciate and understand the branches of science in isolation from others. The study of interrelatedness helps the child to understand the concepts easily, more interesting and natural.

Science cannot be taught in isolation. All the branches of science are interdependent upon each other and there are a number of facts and principles which are common to various science subjects. This however does not mean that the teacher of one branch of science ought to know everything of other branches of science.

But it is very much essential that he should have sufficient knowledge of other sciences so as to bring about integration of subjects. He should also know where to depart from his own subject and how much should he venture into areas which are not his own.

The following example may be taken:

1. A teacher while teaching the sense organs says an eye should make a parallelism with a camera, which the student has learnt in physics. To understand the images, knowledge of image formation by the convex lens is essential.

E.g. (a) The rays which pass through the centre of the lens travel straight without any change in direction.

(b) The rays which run parallel to the principal axis pass through the focus of the lens after refraction from the lens.

Again when the teacher is teaching the same topic in the period of human physiology, the defects in the eye i.e., short sightedness (by the elongation of the eyeball and the image in formed a little in front of the retina and not exactly on the retina) he should know other factors also which cause the shifting of the image.

E.g. (a) By changing the distance between the lens and object.

(b) By changing the distance between the lens and the screen.

(c) By changing the total length of lens.

If the teacher possesses knowledge of physics he can most successfully correlate his topic with other branches of science and make the whole knowledge easily acceptable to the children.

2. Similarly while teaching digestive system the teacher should have adequate knowledge of chemistry without the help of which he cannot justify the topic.

The teacher must correlate it by telling about:

(a) Soluble and insoluble constituents of our diet.

(b) Chemistry of different digestive juices and their effect on the constituents of food that we take.

(c) The final products and the process of assimilation of products by the membranes of different organs. This will involve the reference of concepts of osmosis, density and the pressure etc.

Science is universal; it has no barrier of any kind as too has no barriers. The recent advances in the field of science and technology and its wide application as well as their use in daily life situation justify the utilitarian value of science. Taxonomy reveals the unity in diversity. Evolution and mutation theories help us understand the relation of living forms.

Motion, Mass and Energy related theories relate Universe, Sun, Earth and all other planets and their existence. Further their relation to life forms. Hence in nature everything is in relation and co-existence. This is what has to be understood by the student in the study of scientific theories and phenomenon.

Essay # 5. Science and Social Environment:

Relating science education with the environment of a child has been the prime concern of educationists. The environment of the child includes natural and social environment.

In science we learn about the nature’s phenomena. Human is a part of nature. Therefore, every effort should be made to integrate science with learning the environment. The science curriculum should address issues and concerns related to environment such as climate change, acid rain, growth of water, eutrophication and various types of pollutions etc. Further, it should be applied to society to understand social phenomenon in a scientific way and solve all social problems with all objectivity and universal application.

Science teachers should aim to enlighten the young minds with the wonders of science. They should be engaged to construct the knowledge through an interdisciplinary approach appreciating its relation and impact on the social and natural environment. They can recognize the competence of science by doing activities related to their everyday life.

Current issues and events in science like new technological innovations, scientific discoveries, can be examined through social, economic and ethical perspectives to help students in relating these issues with one another and explore their areas of interest.

The significance of chemistry to society can be highlighted by discussing the chemical components used in products that have altered agriculture, food, health, medicine, electronics, transportation, technology and the natural environments. To understand its relevance to home economics, one can think what happens to the electricity bill if solar cooker, solar heater, solar lanterns and CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) are used.

For Instances- Bhopal Tragedy Unforgettable Industrial Disaster :

Industries are the symbols of development, but other side of the coin is lack of safety measures and irresponsibility of emitting pollutants. On 2 nd December 1984 about 3000 human beings died and 5000 were effected seriously, thousands of cattle, birds, dogs, and cats died in just one night at Bhopal tragedy.

These mass deaths were due to the leakage of Methyle Isocyanate (MIC) into the air from an insecticide factory managed by union carbide. Thousands of lives helplessly crushed in this incident. This is unforgettable industrial disaster towards air pollution.

Essay # 6. Science and Technology :

Technology is often equated to applied sciences and its domain is generally thought to include mechanical, electrical, optical, electronic devices and instruments, the house hold and commercial gadgets, equipment used in physics, chemistry, biology, nuclear science etc. These various sub-domains of technology are interrelated. Modern technology is an applied science because the basic principles of sciences are applied to develop the technology.

Science and technology are linked to each other. Discoveries in science have paved the way for the evolution of new technologies. At the same time technology has been instrumental in the development of science.

Han’s Christian Oersted, one of the leading scientists of the 19 th century, played a crucial role in understanding electromagnetism. In 1820 he discovered that a compass needle got deflected when an electric current passed through a metallic wire placed nearby. Through this he showed that electricity and magnetism were related phenomena. His research later created technologies such as radio, television and fiber optics.

The development of microscope by Antony Van Leeuwenhock, where he interwined optical principles with astronomical and biological understanding which further led to the development of the telescope.

Thus, science influences technology by providing knowledge and methodology. But on the other hand technology also influences science by providing equipments to find out the unknown phenomenon of the nature. This shows interdependence of science and technology.

In science we inquire how a natural phenomenon occurs, while in technology we deal with how the scientific processes can also be used for human welfare. Technology as a discipline has its own autonomy and should not be regarded as a mere extension of science.

Basically science is an open ended exploration; its end results are not fixed in advance. Technology on the other hand, is also an exploration but usually with a definite goal in mind. Science is universal; technology is goal oriented and often local specific.

People today are faced with an increasingly fast-changing world where the most important skills are flexibility in adapting to new demands and creativity in taking advantages of new opportunities. These imperatives have to be kept in mind in shaping science education.

Essay # 7. Science and Society :

The applications of science and technology have led to the remarkable improvement in the quality of human life. It has given lot of comfort and leisure to the human kind on one side and equipped it with skills needed for problem solving and decision making on the other side. It has changed the outlook of the individual on different beliefs, myths, taboos and superstitions.

People started working with logical thinking, objectivity and open mindedness. Modern society believed in the co-existence of diversity in social and political thinking. Science always works for the welfare of our future generations by talking about sustainable development. Society is also showing its concern using the scientific knowledge for peace and prosperity of the society.

For instances, consuming tobacco (Gutkha, cigarettes, beedi, khaini) damages the internal organs of the body. The numbers of addicted people at the age of 15 or below are 57.57 lakhs (68%) both in Telengana and Andhra. When they reach 30 yrs. of age thin internal organs becomes damaged, this may lead to several problems and sometimes lead to death.

It is a dangerous trend in our country. So, we have to inculcate healthy habits in children by teaching science. Many youth are also addicted to alcohol which damages the liver and other body organs which in turn also affects human resource development.

Let Us Think It Over:

Do you know that our eyes can live even after our death? By donating our eyes after we die, we can give sight to a blind person.

About 35 million people in the developing world are blind and most of them can be cured. About 4.5 million people are with corneal blindness, can be cured by corneal transplantation of donated eyes. Out of these 4.5 million, 60% are children below the age of 12 yrs. So, if we got the gift of vision, let us pass it on to somebody who does not have it.

Essay # 8. Scientific Method and Its Steps:

1. The development of scientific attitude and training in scientific method are two cardinal aims for the teaching of science. In other words it is a method of solving a problem scientifically.

2. Scientific method involves reflective thinking, reasoning and results from the achievement of certain abilities, skills and attitudes.

Definition of Scientific Method :

Carl Pearson says, ‘The scientific method is marked by the following features:

1. Careful and accurate classification of facts.

2. Observation of their co-relation and sequence.

3. Discovery of scientific law by creative imagination, and self-criticism.

4. The final touch-stone of equal validity for all normally constituted needs.

Steps of Scientific Method:

Observation :

Observation is the base for science. It knows the phenomenon through senses. Without control of external or internal situations.

1. It is the way we perceive the nature and using the senses and processed through the faculty of brain.

2. It is a process of checking conclusions. After observation we try to explain what we have seen based on cause and effect relation. In science repeatedly verifiable observations becomes a fact.

Facts are specific verifiable information obtained through observation and measurement. They are verifiable with reference to time and place.

Some facts do not require the time and place to be mentioned. Ex- Iron is a greyish hard metal.

Some facts are specific like ‘water boils at 100°C at 760mm Hg of pressure.

A concept is an idea or a mental image of an object is generalised forms of specific relevant direct experiences interpreted in a language or word form for communication.

1. Concepts. Ex. plant, animal etc.

2. According to Bruner, every concept has five elements i.e. name, example (positive & negative), attributes (characteristics) attribute value and rule (definition).

3. Concepts formed without direct experiences may lead to misconceptions. Hence, care should be taken in provide direct experiences in learning process.

Principles :

Principles are based on several concepts. They are the representation of phenomena on which the activities or behaviour can be generalised to some extent.

A number of concepts combine in a way to convey meaning which can be tested and verified universally, becomes a principle.

Ex- Mytosis, Meiosis, Glycolysis, Photosynthe sis, Mutations, Evolution etc.

Scientific Inquiry :

It occupies a prominent place in science as it helps pupils to understand how scientific ideas are developed.

1. It is broadly defined as a search for truth or knowledge. Emphasis is placed on the aspects of search rather than on the mere acquisition of knowledge.

2. Empirical testing, reasoning and controlled experimenting are some of the methods of science inquiry.

The steps in scientific methods are illustrated with a specific example:

The teacher demonstrates an experiment to the students to show that water boils at low temperature under low pressure.

1. Sensing the Problem:

The teacher provides a situation in which the students feel the need of asking some questions. Teacher may also put questions which require reflective thinking and reasoning on the part of the students, this may become a problem to solve. The interest of the students, availability of the material and its utility should be considered.

A flask was taken and filled it half with water. Boil the water over a flame. Remove the flame. Cork the flask. Invert it and pour cold water on the flask. The students observe the process carefully and saw that water has begun to boil again when cold water is poured on the bottom of the inverted flask. They at once sense a problem for themselves finding out the reason and explanation of what they have seen.

2. Defining the Problem:

The student now defines the problem in a concise, definite and clear language. There should be some key-words in the statement of the problem, which may help in better understanding the problem.

The student can give different statements such as:

(i) Why is water boiling?

(ii) Why did the water boil first?

(iii) Why was the flask corked and then inverted?

(iv) Why was cold water poured over the bottom of the inverted flask?

(v) Why did the water boil in the flask when cold water is poured over the inverted flask?

Of all these statements, the last one is in fact the problem which should be solved.

3. Analysis of the Problem:

The student now fined the key words and phrases in the problem which provide clue to further study of the problem. At the same time, the students must have knowledge of every key word and the understanding of the whole problem. In our selected problem ‘water boil’ or the boiling of the water are the key words which gives us clue to find information regarding the boiling of water under different conditions.

Collection of Data :

After analysis of the problem the teacher suggests references on the problem. The student needs to plan the subsequent activities. They have to discuss, consult references, use audio-visual aids such as models, pictures, specimens, organise field trips and do the experimentation carefully. Unnecessary data should also be discarded.

Formulation of Tentative Solutions or Hypothesis :

After collection of data, the students are asked to formulate some tentative hypothesis. A hypothesis is the probable solution to the problem in hand, which should be free from bias and self-inclination.

The students can suggest the hypothesis like:

Water will also boil:

(i) When flask is not inverted.

(ii) When water is not boiled but only warmed.

(iii) When hot water is poured over the inverted flask containing cold water.

(iv) When hot water is poured over the inverted flask containing boiled water.

(v) When cold water is poured over the flask containing cold water.

(vi) When cold water is poured over the inverted flask containing boiled water.

These are some of the hypothesis the students can suggest.

Selecting and Testing the Most Appropriate Hypothesis :

The students can select the most tenable hypothesis by rejecting others through experimentation and discussion.

The students have found out that water begins to boil again in an inverted flask when cold water is poured over it. In no other condition this was possible and so all other hypothesis were rejected.

Drawing Conclusions and Making Generalisations :

In this step, conclusions are drawn from the experiments. The results should support the expected solution. Experiments can be repeated to verify the consistency and correctness of the conclusion drawn and should be properly reported. When some conclusions are drawn from different sets of experimentation under similar situations, they may go for generalisation of their conclusion.

The generalisation can be made by arranging a set of experiments which also show the same conclusion already reached at.

The effect of varying pressure on boiling point of water can be found out by conducting experiments. From these conditions, one can generalise that pressure has a direct effect on the boiling point of water i.e. the increase in pressure raises the boiling point of water and vice-versa.

Application of Generalization to New Situations :

The student should apply generalization under new situations in his daily life minimising the gap between classroom situation and real life situation.

The student will apply the generalization that increase in pressure increases the boiling point of water and vice-versa, to explain the reason of – ‘why’ is it difficult to cook meat and pulses at higher altitudes.

Why do the pulses take lesser time for cooking in pressure cooker.

In this way the student will apply the generalization to other life situations.

Scientific Method- A Critical View :

A few points about the scientific method need to be emphasized.

Scientific method is not a prescribed pathing for making discoveries in science. Very rarely the method has remained a key to discovery in science. It is the attitude of inquiry, investigation and experimentation rather than following set steps of a particular method that leads to discoveries and advancement in science.

Sometimes a theory may suggest a new experiment at other times an experiment may suggest a new theoretical model. Scientists do not always go through all the steps of the method and not necessarily in the order we have outlines above. Investigation in science often involves repeated action on any one or all steps of the scientific method in any order.

Many important and path breaking discoveries in science have been made by trial and error, experimentation and accidental observation. The Rontgen and Fleming both of them did not set out the following scientific steps to discover X-rays and penicillin, but they had qualities of healthy intuition and perseverance which took them to their goals. Besides intuition informed guesswork, creativity, an eye for an unusual occurrence, all played a significant role in developing new theories, and there by progress in science.

The validity of a hypothesis depends solely on the experimental test and not on any other attributes. There is no authority in science that tells you what you can criticize and what you cannot criticize. Thus, science is highly objective discipline.

A scientific method with its linear steps makes us feel that science is a ‘closed box approach’ of thinking. However in practice science is more about thinking ‘out of the box’. There is tremendous scope for creativity in science. Many times in science an idea or a solution to a vexing problem appears to arise out of creativity and imagination. Ex- The stories of Archimedes, Newton, Robert Hook, Fleming and Madam Curie etc.

People keep floating all kinds of theories; often they narrow their arguments in scientific terms. This may create lot of confusion among them, but we should remember that a theory is valid only if it passes the test of experimentation, otherwise it may just be a matter of faith.

The scientific method imposes operational limitation on science. It does not help us to make aesthetic or value judgment. For example, frequency of the colour of paintings may be determined but there is no scientific method to label the paintings of two artists as great or not so great. Scientific method does not prove or refute the ideas such as existence of God and existence of life after death.

Following scientific method does not ensure that a discovery can be made. However, the skills learnt in making observation, analysis, hypothesis, prediction from a hypothesis and it’s testing by experimentation help us in developing scientific attitude.

All of us will benefit immensely if we imbibe the spirit of scientific method in our personal lives. The scientific method tells us to be honest in reporting our observations or experimental results, keep an open mind and to be ready to accept other points of view. If our own view is proved wrong.

Scientific method is a logical approach to problem-solving.

Related Articles:

• Essay on Environmental Science
• Content-cum-Methodology in Teaching: Concept, Nature, Need and Steps

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Nature of Science – Understanding how Science Works

• September 10, 2021
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Nature of Science (NOS) is one of the core components of science literacy and a fundamental element in most international curricular frameworks. NOS draws on science as a way of knowing as well as the values and assumptions inherent to the development of scientific knowledge. An understanding of NOS helps students to better understand science content and maintain a positive attitude towards the field.

What is the Nature of Science?

Equally important to learning science content is understanding the nature of science. The following aspects highlight the common tenets of NOS in science education discourse:

• There is no set scientific method.

Instead, a range of scientific approaches exist.

Think of science fields where conducting experiments is unlikely — such as astronomy or evolution.

• Science is tentative.

Science is revisionary and scientific knowledge changes over time. Informed decisions based on the best of knowledge today might change in the future. Knowledge changes with new data or when a new interpretation of existing data arises. The change might be complete (for example, the sun, not the earth, is at the center of the solar system) or partial (such as atomic theories).

Think of how our understanding of the coronavirus has progressed over time and how measures have been regularly updated based on new evidence. This will likely continue in the future as more research is conducted.

• Science involves creativity.

Creativity is not exclusive to art. Scientists ask questions about our world that lead to creative experiments and investigations. The process involves open-mindedness and the formulation of novel ways to explain the observed results.

Think of the mRNA (vaccine) technology.

• Science is embedded in social contexts.

Science is not exclusive to experts. The domain is not run exclusively by scientists but also by members of society. Science is affected by culture, moral values, economy, politics, and power structures. One cannot evaluate science in the media strictly from a science dimension. For instance, consider research that shares the disclosure of affiliations and funding. Furthermore, science is practiced in groups, whether they are small laboratory teams or larger groups of various subdisciplines.

Think of the vast amount of research done on cancer. It is one of the areas that most of the general public finds important. Think of the ice bucket challenge in 2014 to promote awareness of and raise donations for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( ALS).

• Science is subjective.

Science is a human endeavor, and each scientist has a different way of thinking and a different perspective they use to come to conclusions. When scientists develop hypotheses, research questions, design investigations, and make inferences, they are affected by their prior knowledge, experiences, beliefs, and expectations.

Think of how research teams collaborate within the science community and how the process of peer-review minimizes subjectivity.

• Science is evidence-based.

Science is interpreted through a process of logical argument and informed by current theories. Ideas are subject to change when new evidence emerges. Interpretation of that evidence might also change. Judging the validity of evidence depends on the consensual agreement among scientists. Science does not deliver right or wrong answers. Knowledge is not proven; it is simply not falsified.

Think of how science is reported in the media during this pandemic. Media reports science-in-the-making where uncertainty is common; while established knowledge, concepts, theories, and laws (the heart pumps blood, DNA carries genetic information) are reserved to science books.

These aspects of NOS are interrelated. For example, the tentativeness of scientific knowledge stems from investigations conducted to obtain data and provide evidence. Each aspect of science is influenced by the culture and society in which the science is practiced, and also by the subjectivity and bias of the scientist. As new data are evaluated and existing data are reviewed, changes in inferences of existing scientific knowledge may occur.

Why is it Important to Teach Students NOS?

With the growing challenges affecting our society, students must develop their understanding of NOS. Understanding NOS allows students to become scientifically well-informed citizens. Students will be able to:

• Make sense of socio-scientific issues
• Critically evaluate science in the media
• Compare alternative perspectives and weigh the evidence when evaluating arguments
• Develop their science literacy skills
• Understand how new knowledge is developed, which consequentially places more confidence in the work of scientists
• Discuss the evolving nature of knowledge
• View scientific issues as subject to an ongoing inquiry
• Be skeptical towards potentially biased information

Teaching with and about NOS – What is the Role of Educators?

There is no agreed-upon ‘best’ way to teach NOS because several factors, such as the characteristics, aptitudes, and skills of students or available resources, may impact the selection of a specific approach. However, educational research suggests that NOS teaching must adopt an explicit approach with inquiry-based activities related to topics that resonate with students’ views about NOS. An explicit approach allows teachers to establish NOS as a goal of science learning and as an integrated component of science teaching into an already dense curriculum.

Teaching about NOS helps students develop an understanding of how scientific knowledge is generated and validated. Teaching with NOS depends on the teacher’s robust understanding of NOS. Teaching with NOS means developing a learning environment where students can experience an authentic scientific practice that bears some resemblance to the ways scientific communities validate knowledge.

Science teaching often follows ‘cookbook recipes’ where students apply specific instructions and produce a prescribed lab report that shows mastery of content. It is a one-shot process for students to present their findings. And there, the teacher is the final judge.

The alternative approach is teaching about and with NOS. Students work in groups on their investigations. They present and explain their findings before their peers. Students consider feedback and revise their analyses and conclusions. The teachers may provide students with opportunities to collect more data and participate in another cycle of sharing their learning with their peers. Differing results are open for discussion. Students can debate the best method to reach reliable results and can test each other’s methods or develop new ones.

What is science? What is the nature of scientific knowledge? Who are scientists? How do scientists work? What knowledge is considered to be scientific? Science educators have an important role in providing students with opportunities to explore such questions and develop informed conceptions of NOS. Authentic experiences that integrate aspects of NOS explicitly into science learning activities must be central to science education as a critical component of science literacy.

Special thanks to Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District

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• TIPS: Why you shouldn’t flush your meds (and what to do instead) – Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (neorsd.org)
• Cleveland STEP – Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (neorsd.org)
• Galili, Igal. 2019. “Towards a Refined Depiction of Nature of Science: Applications to Physics Education.” Science & Education 28 (3): 503–37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-019-00042-4 .
• Kruse, Jerrid, Isaiah Kent-Schneider, Sarah Voss, Kinsey Zacharski, and Molly Rockefeller. 2021. “Investigating Student Nature of Science Views as Reflections of Authentic Science: Degrees of Contextualisation and the Teachers’ Role.” Science & Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-021-00231-0 .
• Mesci, Günkut, Renee S Schwartz, and Brandy Ann-Skjold Pleasants. 2020. “Enabling Factors of Preservice Science Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Nature of Science and Nature of Scientific Inquiry.” Science & Education 29 (2): 263–97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-019-00090-w .
• Mohan Ashwin, and Kelly Gregory J. 2020. “Nature of Science and Nature of Scientists.” Science & Education 29 (5): 1097–1116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-020-00158-y .
• Shi, Xiaoming. 2021. “Using Explicit Teaching of Philosophy to Promote Understanding of the Nature of Science; A Case Study from a Chinese High School.” Science & Education 30 (2): 409–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-020-00173-z .
• Yacoubian, Hagop A. 2021. “Students’ Views of Nature of Science; A Long-Term Study.” Science & Education 30 (2): 381–. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-020-00179-7 .
• Yeh, Yi-Fen, Sibel Erduran, and Ying-Shao Hsu. 2019. “Investigating Coherence About Nature of Science in Science Curriculum Documents: Taiwan as a Case Study.” Science & Education 28 (3): 291–310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-019-00053-1 .

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Essay on Science for Students and Children

500+ words essay on science.

Essay on science:  As we look back in our ancient times we see so much development in the world. The world is full of gadgets and machinery . Machinery does everything in our surroundings. How did it get possible? How did we become so modern? It was all possible with the help of science. Science has played a major role in the development of our society. Furthermore, Science has made our lives easier and carefree.

Science in our Daily Lives

As I have mentioned earlier Science has got many changes in our lives. First of all, transportation is easier now. With the help of Science it now easier to travel long distances . Moreover, the time of traveling is also reduced. Various high-speed vehicles are available these days. These vehicles have totally changed. The phase of our society. Science upgraded steam engines to electric engines. In earlier times people were traveling with cycles. But now everybody travels on motorcycles and cars. This saves time and effort. And this is all possible with the help of Science.

Secondly, Science made us reach to the moon. But we never stopped there. It also gave us a glance at Mars. This is one of the greatest achievements. This was only possible with Science. These days Scientists make many satellites . Because of which we are using high-speed Internet. These satellites revolve around the earth every day and night. Even without making us aware of it. Science is the backbone of our society. Science gave us so much in our present time. Due to this, the teacher in our schools teaches Science from an early age.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Science as a Subject

In class 1 only a student has Science as a subject. This only tells us about the importance of Science. Science taught us about Our Solar System. The Solar System consists of 9 planets and the Sun. Most Noteworthy was that it also tells us about the origin of our planet. Above all, we cannot deny that Science helps us in shaping our future. But not only it tells us about our future, but it also tells us about our past.

When the student reaches class 6, Science gets divided into three more subcategories. These subcategories were Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. First of all, Physics taught us about the machines. Physics is an interesting subject. It is a logical subject.

Furthermore, the second subject was Chemistry . Chemistry is a subject that deals with an element found inside the earth. Even more, it helps in making various products. Products like medicine and cosmetics etc. result in human benefits.

Last but not least, the subject of Biology . Biology is a subject that teaches us about our Human body. It tells us about its various parts. Furthermore, it even teaches the students about cells. Cells are present in human blood. Science is so advanced that it did let us know even that.

Leading Scientists in the field of Science

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Another famous Scientist was Sir Isaac Newton . Sir Isaac Newton told us about Gravity. With the help of this, we were able to discover many other theories.

In India Scientists A..P.J Abdul was there. He contributed much towards our space research and defense forces. He made many advanced missiles. These Scientists did great work and we will always remember them.

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Understanding Evolution

Your one-stop source for information on evolution

Nature of Science

Nature of science.

Understanding how science works allows one to easily distinguish science from non-science. Thus, to understand biological evolution, or any other science, it is essential to begin with the nature of science.

What is science?

Science is a particular way of understanding the natural world. It extends the intrinsic curiosity with which we are born. It allows us to connect the past with the present, as with the redwoods depicted here.

Science is based on the premise that our senses, and extensions of those senses through the use of instruments, can give us accurate information about the Universe. Science follows very specific “rules” and its results are always subject to testing and, if necessary, revision. Even with such constraints science does not exclude, and often benefits from, creativity and imagination (with a good bit of logic thrown in).

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NOTIFICATIONS

Reasons for teaching the nature of science.

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Why teach the nature of science? The short answer is that the curriculum requires it and research supports it. These are compelling reasons.

The curriculum requires it

Accurately conveying the nature of science is common to most science education curricula worldwide. There is a clear message that understanding the nature of science is crucial for effective science teaching, for valuable science learning and for responsible participation in society. New Zealand’s curriculum document clearly and strongly emphasises the importance of the nature of science by placing it as the overarching and unifying strand.

Research supports it

Research shows that students often have significant misconceptions about science. Students’ views about science have been picked up from what they learn via popular media (social media, internet sites, TV, advertising, magazines, newspapers and so on) as well as from classroom experiences. Science is often misrepresented in the wider media, and classroom teaching can overemphasise what we know rather than how we know it. Consequently, many students see science as a boring enterprise – the tedious accumulation of facts about the world, the following of a ‘scientific method’ and totally lacking any imagination or creativity.

An accumulation of facts is no more science than a heap of stones is a house. Henri Poincaré

Therefore, we need to include the nature of science in planning and teaching. We want our students to gain an understanding of the nature of science so that they can see how science is connected to their real world. Science education research over recent decades has also shown that teaching about the nature of science:

• enhances students’ understanding of science content
• increases students’ interest
• helps show the human side of science.

Reasons for the individual

We live in an increasingly scientific and technological society in which many personal decisions involve scientific understanding. Should I take vitamin supplements? Do cell phone towers cause cancer? Will eating organic vegetables make me live longer? Does the lower environmental impact of an electric or hybrid car justify its price? Is vaping safer than smoking?

To make decisions on issues like these, we need to understand:

• what scientific knowledge is relevant
• how reliable the knowledge is
• how the knowledge was generated
• the limits of the knowledge
• how much confidence we can have in that knowledge.

To be able to make use of science in their daily lives, students need to have an understanding of the nature of science. Our students need to be able to evaluate, critique and respond to data presented as ‘scientific evidence’ in media reports, on the internet and in advertising in order to make informed personal decisions and make judgements about scientific and pseudo-scientific claims. They need to become critical consumers of science.

Reasons for society

Many debates and controversies at all levels from the media to government relate to socio-scientific issues. Is genetic modification the future of medicines and global food supply? How conclusive is DNA evidence in a murder trial ? Can an individual make an impact on climate change ? Should I oppose or support the building of wind farms or nuclear power stations? Should I protest against stem cell research? These are examples of typical socio-scientific issues that impact us all.

A fundamental reason for teaching about the nature of science is to help our students to think for themselves and reach their own explanations and conclusions in ways that consider the scientific dimensions of socio scientific issues. We want students to be able to make informed decisions about such issues, to voice their opinions, to take action and to participate in the decision-making process of a democratic society.

The cultural argument

The modern world would not be modern at all without science. Science is deeply woven into our daily lives. For example, without scientific understanding, we would not have electricity, modern medicine, communication, exploration and so on. The list is endless. The ability to think with a scientific lens helps students to appreciate science as a major element of contemporary culture in the same way that they can appreciate art or music as cultural achievements.

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. Albert Einstein

Mātauranga Māori and science

Mātauranga Māori and science are independent knowledge systems. They have similarities in that each seeks to explain te taiao – the natural world. Both systems draw on centuries of empirical observations. There are also differences. Mātauranga Māori is Māori knowledge, including values and culture so its methodologies often differ from conventional science. Drawing from both knowledge bases – where one enhances the other – can present a richer and more relevant picture of te taiao and the connections with people.

Activity idea

Continually there are good and bad messages about the nature of science in our classroom teaching and in popular media. The activity, What might we miss? uses two video clips as a fun way to introduce this idea to the students. They show how easy it is for them to miss the real meaning of the nature of science if they are not looking for it.

Useful link

Understanding Science is an educational website for teaching and learning about the nature and process of science. It has an interactive flowchart that represents the process of scientific inquiry, with links to relevant teaching and learning resources.

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• School Education /

Essay on Science: Sample for Students in 100,200 Words

• Updated on  
• October 28, 2023

Science, the relentless pursuit of knowledge and understanding, has ignited the flames of human progress for centuries. It’s a beacon guiding us through the uncharted realms of the universe, unlocking secrets that shape our world. In this blog, we embark on an exhilarating journey through the wonders of science. We’ll explore the essence of science and its profound impact on our lives. With this we will also provide you with sample essay on science in 100 and 200 words.

Must Read: Essay On Internet   

What Is Science?

Science is a systematic pursuit of knowledge about the natural world through observation, experimentation, and analysis. It aims to understand the underlying principles governing the universe, from the smallest particles to the vast cosmos. Science plays a crucial role in advancing technology, improving our understanding of life and the environment, and driving innovation for a better future.

Branches Of Science

The major branches of science can be categorized into the following:

• Physical Science: This includes physics and chemistry, which study the fundamental properties of matter and energy.
• Biological Science : Also known as life sciences, it encompasses biology, genetics, and ecology, focusing on living organisms and their interactions.
• Earth Science: Geology, meteorology, and oceanography fall under this category, investigating the Earth’s processes, climate, and natural resources.
• Astronomy : The study of celestial objects, space, and the universe, including astrophysics and cosmology.
• Environmental Science : Concentrating on environmental issues, it combines aspects of biology, chemistry, and Earth science to address concerns like climate change and conservation. 
• Social Sciences : This diverse field covers anthropology, psychology, sociology, and economics, examining human behavior, society, and culture.  
• Computer Science : Focused on algorithms, data structures, and computing technology, it drives advancements in information technology. 
• Mathematics : A foundational discipline, it underpins all sciences, providing the language and tools for scientific analysis and modeling.  

Wonders Of Science

Science has numerous applications that profoundly impact our lives and society: Major applications of science are stated below:

• Medicine: Scientific research leads to the development of vaccines, medicines, and medical technologies, improving healthcare and saving lives.
• Technology: Science drives technological innovations, from smartphones to space exploration.
• Energy: Advances in physics and chemistry enable the development of renewable energy sources, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
• Agriculture: Biology and genetics improve crop yields, while chemistry produces fertilizers and pesticides.
• Environmental Conservation : Scientific understanding informs efforts to protect ecosystems and combat climate change.
• Transportation : Physics and engineering create efficient and sustainable transportation systems.
• Communication : Physics and computer science underpin global communication networks.
• Space Exploration : Astronomy and physics facilitate space missions, expanding our understanding of the cosmos.

Must Read: Essay On Scientific Discoveries  

Sample Essay On Science in 100 words

Science, the bedrock of human progress, unveils the mysteries of our universe through empirical investigation and reason. Its profound impact permeates every facet of modern life. In medicine, it saves countless lives with breakthroughs in treatments and vaccines. Technology, a child of science, empowers communication and innovation. Agriculture evolves with scientific methods, ensuring food security. Environmental science guides conservation efforts, preserving our planet. Space exploration fuels dreams of interstellar travel.

Yet, science requires responsibility, as unchecked advancement can harm nature and society. Ethical dilemmas arise, necessitating careful consideration. Science, a double-edged sword, holds the potential for both salvation and destruction, making it imperative to harness its power wisely for the betterment of humanity.

Sample Essay On Science in 250 words

Science, often regarded as humanity’s greatest intellectual endeavor, plays an indispensable role in shaping our world and advancing our civilization.

At its core, science is a methodical pursuit of knowledge about the natural world. Through systematic observation, experimentation, and analysis, it seeks to uncover the underlying principles that govern our universe. This process has yielded profound insights into the workings of the cosmos, from the subatomic realm to the vastness of space.

One of the most remarkable contributions of science is to the field of medicine. Through relentless research and experimentation, scientists have discovered vaccines, antibiotics, and groundbreaking treatments for diseases that once claimed countless lives. 

Furthermore, science has driven technological advancements that have reshaped society. The rapid progress in computing, for instance, has revolutionized communication, industry, and research. From the ubiquitous smartphones in our pockets to the complex algorithms that power our digital lives, science, and technology are inseparable partners in progress.

Environmental conservation is another critical arena where science is a guiding light. Climate change, a global challenge, is addressed through rigorous scientific study and the development of sustainable practices. Science empowers us to understand the impact of human activities on our planet and to make informed decisions to protect it.

In conclusion, science is not just a field of study; it is a driving force behind human progress. As we continue to explore the frontiers of knowledge, science will remain the beacon guiding us toward a brighter future.

Science is a boon due to innovations, medical advancements, and a deeper understanding of nature, improving human lives exponentially.

Galileo Galilei is known as the Father of Science.

Science can’t address questions about personal beliefs, emotions, ethics, or matters of subjective experience beyond empirical observation and measurement.

We hope this blog gave you an idea about how to write and present an essay on science that puts forth your opinions. The skill of writing an essay comes in handy when appearing for standardized language tests. Thinking of taking one soon? Leverage Edu provides the best online test prep for the same via Leverage Live . Register today to know more!

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Essays About Science: Top 12 Examples and Prompts

Science can explain almost every aspect of our lives; if you want to write essays about science, start by reading our guide.

The word “science” comes from the Latin word Scientia or “knowledge,” It does indeed leave us with no shortage of knowledge as it advances to extraordinary levels. It is present in almost every aspect of our lives, allowing us to live the way we do today and helping us improve society. 

In the 21st century, we see science everywhere. It has given us the technology we deem “essential” today, from our mobile phones to air conditioning units to lightbulbs and refrigerators. Yet, it has also allowed us to learn so much about the unknown, such as the endless vacuum of space and the ocean’s mysterious depths. It is, without a doubt, a vehicle for humanity to obtain knowledge and use this knowledge to flourish. 

To start writing essays about science, look at some of our featured essay examples below. 

1. The challenging environment for science in the 21st century by Nithaya Chetty 

2. disadvantages of science by ella gray, 3. reflections from a nobel winner: scientists need time to make discoveries by donna strickland.

• 4.  ​​The fact of cloning by Cesar Hill

5. T. Rex Like You Haven’t Seen Him: With Feathers by Jason Farago

6. common, cheap ingredients can break down some ‘forever chemicals’ by jude coleman, 1. what is science, 2. a noteworthy scientist, 3. why is it important to study science, 4. are robots a net positive for society, 5. types of sciences, 6. science’s role in warfare.

“Open-ended, unfettered science in its purest form has, over the centuries, been pursued in the interests of understanding nature in a fundamental way, and long may that continue. Scientific ideas and discoveries have often been very successfully exploited for commercial gain and societal improvements, and much of the science system today the world over is designed to push scientists in the direction of more relevance.”

For South Africa to prosper, Chetty encourages cooperation and innovation among scientists. He discusses several problems the country faces, including the politicization of research, a weak economy, and misuse of scientific discoveries. These challenges, he believes, can be overcome if the nation works as one and with the international community and if the education system is improved. 

“Technology can make people lazy. Many people are already dependent and embrace this technology. Like students playing computer games instead of going to school or study. Technology also brings us privacy issues. From cell phone signal interceptions to email hacking, people are now worried about their once private information becoming public knowledge and making profit out of video scandals.”

Gray discusses the adverse effects technology, a science product, has had on human life and society. These include pollution, the inability to communicate properly, and laziness. 

She also acknowledges that technology has made life easier for almost everyone but believes that technology, as it is used now, is detrimental; more responsible use of technology is ideal.

“We must give scientists the opportunity through funding and time to pursue curiosity-based, long-term, basic-science research. Work that does not have direct ramifications for industry or our economy is also worthy. There’s no telling what can come from supporting a curious mind trying to discover something new.”

Strickland, a Nobel Prize winner, explains that a great scientific discovery can only come with ample time for scientists to research, using her work as an example. She describes her work on chirped pulse amplification and its possible applications, including removing brain tumors. Her Nobel-awarded work was done over a long time, and scientists must be afforded ample time and funding to make breakthroughs like hers. 

4.  ​​ The fact of cloning by Cesar Hill

“Any research into human cloning would eventually need to be tested on humans. Cloning might be used to create a “perfect human”. Cloning might have a detrimental effect family relationship. However the debate over cloning has more pros out weighting the cons, giving us a over site of the many advantages cloning has and the effects of it as well. Cloning has many ups and downs nevertheless there are many different ways in which it can be used to adapt and analyse new ways of medicine.”

Hill details both the pros and cons of cloning. It can be used for medical purposes and help us understand genetics more, perhaps even allowing us to prevent genetic diseases in children. However, it is expensive, and many oppose it on religious grounds. Regardless, Hill believes that the process has more advantages than disadvantages and is a net good. 

“For the kids who will throng this new exhibition, and who will adore this show’s colorful animations and fossilized dino poop, T. rex may still appear to be a thrilling monster. But staring in the eyes of the feather-flecked annihilators here, adults may have a more uncanny feeling of identification with the beasts at the pinnacle of the food chain. You can be a killer of unprecedented savagery, but the climate always takes the coup de grâce.”

In his essay, Farago reviews an exhibition on the Tyrannosaurus Rex involving an important scientific discovery: it was a feathered dinosaur. He details the different displays in the exhibition, including models of other dinosaurs that helped scientists realize that the T-Rex had feathers. 

“Understanding this mechanism is just one step in undoing forever chemicals, Dichtel’s team said. And more research is needed: There are other classes of PFAS that require their own solutions. This process wouldn’t work to tackle PFAS out in the environment, because it requires a concentrated amount of the chemicals. But it could one day be used in wastewater treatment plants, where the pollutants could be filtered out of the water, concentrated and then broken down.”

Coleman explains a discovery by which scientists were able to break down a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance, a “forever chemical” dangerous to the environment. He explains how they could break the chemical bond and turn the “forever chemical” into something harmless. This is important because pollution can be reduced significantly, particularly in the water. 

Writing Prompts on Essays about Science

“Science” is quite a broad term and encompasses many concepts and definitions. Define science, explain what it involves and how we can use it, and give examples of how it is present in the world. If you want, you can also briefly discuss what science means to you personally. 

Many individuals have made remarkable scientific discoveries, contributing to the wealth of knowledge we have acquired through science. For your essay, choose one scientist you feel has made a noteworthy contribution to their field. Then, give a brief background on the scientists and explain the discovery or invention that makes them essential. 

Consider what it means to study science: how is it relevant now? What lessons can we learn from science? Then, examine the presence of science in today’s world and write about the importance of science in our day-to-day lives- be sure to give examples to support your points. Finally, in your essay, be sure to keep in mind the times we are living in today.

When we think of science, robots are often one of the first things that come to mind. However, there is much to discuss regarding safety, especially artificial intelligence. Discuss the pros and cons of robots and AI, then conclude whether or not the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Finally, provide adequate evidence to reinforce your argument and explain it in detail. 

From biology to chemistry to physics, science has many branches, each dealing with different aspects of the world and universe. Choose one branch of science and then explain what it is, define basic concepts under this science, and give examples of how it is applied: Are any inventions requiring it? How about something we know today thanks to scientific discovery? Answer these questions in your own words for a compelling essay.

Undoubtedly, technology developed using science has had devastating effects, from nuclear weapons to self-flying fighter jets to deadly new guns and tanks. Examine scientific developments’ role in the war: Do they make it more brutal? Or do they reduce the casualties? Make sure to conduct ample research before writing your essay; this topic is debatable. 

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .

If you’re looking for inspiration, check out our round-up of essay topics about nature .

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Essay on Science in English: Check 200, 300 & 500 Words Essay

Science is the study of logic. It explains why the world is round, why stars twinkle, why light travels faster than sound, why hawks soar higher than crows, why sunflowers face the sun and other phenomena. Science answers every question logically rather than offering mystical interpretations. Students are very interested in science as a topic. This subject is indeed crucial for those hoping to pursue careers in science and related professions.

People who are knowledgeable in science are more self-assured and aware of their environment. Knowing the cause and origin of natural events, a person knowledgeable in science will not be afraid of them.

However, science also has a big impact on a country's technological advancement and illiteracy.

Table of Content

English-language Long and Short Science Essay

Essay on science  (200 words), essay on science (300 words), essay on science (400 words), essay on science (500 words), essay on science (600 words).

We have included a brief and lengthy English essay on science below for your knowledge and convenience. The writings have been thoughtfully crafted to impart to you the relevance and meaning of science. You will understand what science is, why it matters in daily life, and how it advances national progress after reading the writings. These science essays can be used for essay writing, debate, and other related activities at your institution or school.

Science entails a thorough examination of the behavior of the physical and natural world. Research, experimentation, and observation are used in the study.

The scientific disciplines are diverse. The social sciences, formal sciences, and natural sciences are some of them. Subcategories and sub-sub-categories have been created from these basic categories. The natural sciences include physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, and astronomy; the social sciences include history, geography, economics, political science, sociology, psychology, social studies, and anthropology; and the formal sciences include computer science, logic, statistics, decision theory, and mathematics.

The world has positively transformed because of science. Throughout history, science has produced several inventions that have improved human convenience. We cannot fathom our lives without several of these inventions since they have become essential parts of them.

Global scientists persist in their experiments and occasionally produce more advanced innovations, some of which spark global revolutions. Even if science is helpful, some people have abused knowledge, usually those in positions of authority, to drive an arms race and destroy the environment.

There is no common ground between the ideologies of science and religion. These seeming opposite viewpoints have historically led to a number of confrontations and still do.

Science is a way to learn about, comprehend, examine, and experiment with the physical and natural features of the world in order to apply it to the development of newer technologies that improve human convenience. In science, observation and experimentation are broad and not restricted to a specific concept or area of study.

Applications of Science

Science has given us almost everything we use on a daily basis. Everything, from laptops to washing machines, microwaves to cell phones, and refrigerators to cars, is the result of scientific experimentation. Here are some ways that science affects our daily lives:

Not only are refrigerators, grills, and microwaves examples of scientific inventions, but gas stoves, which are frequently used for food preparation, are as well.

Medical Interventions

Scientific advancements have made it feasible to treat a number of illnesses and conditions. Thus, science encourages healthy living and has helped people live longer.

Interaction

These days, mobile phones and internet connections are necessities in our life and were all made possible by scientific advancements. These innovations have lowered barriers to communication and widened global connections.

E nergy Source

The creation and application of numerous energy forms have been facilitated by the discovery of atomic energy. One of its greatest innovations is electricity, and everyone is aware of the effects it has on daily life.

Variety in Cuisine

There has also been an increase in food diversity. These days, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are available year-round. It's not necessary to wait for a given season to enjoy a certain meal. This modification is the result of scientific experimentation.

So, science is a part of our daily existence. Without scientific advancements, our lives would have been considerably more challenging and varied. Nonetheless, we cannot ignore the fact that a great deal of scientific innovation has contributed to environmental deterioration and a host of health issues for humankind.

There are essentially three main disciplines of science. The Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Formal Sciences are some of them. To examine different aspects, these branches are further divided into subcategories. This is a thorough examination of these groups and their subgroups.

Scientific Subdisciplines

Natural Science

This is the study of natural phenomena, as the name implies. It investigates how the cosmos and the world function. Physical science and life science are subcategories of natural science.

a) Science of Physics

The subcategories of physical science comprise the following:

• Physics is the study of matter's and energy's properties.
• Chemistry is the study of the materials that make up matter.
• The study of space and celestial bodies is called astronomy.
• Ecology is the study of how living things interact with their natural environments and with one another.
• Geology: It studies the composition and physical makeup of Earth.
• Earth science is the study of the atmosphere and the physical makeup of the planet.
• The study of the physical and biological components and phenomena of the ocean is known as oceanography.
• Meteorology: It studies the atmospheric processes.

The subcategories of life science include the following:

• The study of living things is called biology.
• The study of plants is known as botany.
• The study of animals is known as zoology.

c) Social Science

This includes examining social patterns and behavioral patterns in people. It is broken down into more than one subcategory. Among them are:

• History: The examination of past occurrences
• Political science is the study of political processes and governmental structures.
• Geographic: Study of the atmospheric and physical characteristics of Earth.
• Human society is studied in social studies.
• Sociology: The study of how societies form and operate.

Academic Sciences

It is the area of study that examines formal systems like logic and mathematics. It encompasses the subsequent subcategories:

• Numbers are studied in mathematics.
• Reasoning is the subject of logic.
• Statistics: It is the study of numerical data analysis.
• Mathematical analysis of decision-making in relation to profit and loss is known as decision theory.
• The study of abstract organization is known as systems theory.
• Computer science is the study of engineering and experimentation as a foundation for computer design and use.

Scientists from several fields have been doing in-depth research and testing numerous facets of the subject matter in order to generate novel ideas, innovations, and breakthroughs. Although these discoveries and technologies have made life easier for us, they have also permanently harmed both the environment and living things.

Introduction

Science is the study of various physical and natural phenomena' structures and behaviors. Before drawing any conclusions, scientists investigate these factors, make extensive observations, and conduct experiments. In the past, science has produced a number of inventions and discoveries that have been beneficial to humanity.

I deas in Religion and Science

In science, new ideas and technologies are developed through a methodical and rational process; in religion, however, beliefs and faith are the only factors considered. In science, conclusions are reached by careful observation, analysis, and experimentation; in religion, however, conclusions are rarely reached through reason. As a result, they have very different perspectives on things.

Science and Religion at Odds

Because science and religion hold different opinions on many issues, they are frequently perceived as being at odds. Unfortunately, these disputes occasionally cause social unrest and innocent people to suffer. These are a few of the most significant disputes that have happened.

The World's Creation

The world was formed in six days, according to many conservative Christians, sometime between 4004 and 8000 BCE. However, cosmologists assert that the Earth originated about 4.5 billion years ago and that the cosmos may be as old as 13.7 billion years.

The Earth as the Universe's Center

Among the most well-known clashes is this one. Earth was considered to be the center of the universe by the Roman Catholic Church. They say that it is surrounded by the Sun, Moon, stars, and other planets. Famous Italian mathematician and astronomer Galileo Galilei's discovery of the heliocentric system—in which the Sun is at the center of the solar system and the Earth and other planets orbit it—led to the conflict.

Eclipses of the Sun and Moon

Iraq was the scene of one of the first wars. The locals were informed by the priests that the moon eclipse was caused by the gods' restlessness. These were seen as foreboding and intended to overthrow the kings. When the local astronomers proposed a scientific explanation for the eclipse, a disagreement arose.

There are still many myths and superstitions concerning solar and lunar eclipses around the world, despite astronomers providing a compelling and rational explanation for their occurrence.

In addition to these, there are a number of other fields in which religious supporters and scientists hold divergent opinions. While scientists, astronomers, and biologists have evidence to support their claims, the majority of people adhere closely to religious beliefs.

Not only do religious activists frequently oppose scientific methods and ideas, but many other facets of society have also taken issue with science since its discoveries are leading to a host of social, political, environmental, and health problems. Nuclear weapons are one example of a scientific invention that threatens humanity. In addition, the processes involved in preparation and the utilization of the majority of scientifically created equipment contribute to pollution, making life more difficult for all.

In the previous few decades, a number of scientific advancements and discoveries have greatly eased people's lives. The previous ten years were not an anomaly. A good number of important scientific discoveries were acknowledged. The top ten most amazing recent scientific inventions are shown below.

New Developments and Findings in Science

Amputee Gains Control of Biomechanical Hand via Mental After a tragic accident took away his forearm, Pierpaolo Petruzziello, an Italian, used his mind to control a biomechanical hand attached to his arm. The hand used wires and electrodes to connect to the nerves in his arm. He became the first to become skilled at doing motions like gripping objects, wriggling his fingers, and moving.

The Global Positioning System

In 2005, the Global Positioning System, or GPS as it is more often known, went into commercial use. It was incorporated into mobile devices and worked wonders for tourists all over the world. Traveling to more recent locations and needing instructions couldn't be simpler.

The Self-Driving Car Toyota debuted Prius shortly after Google launched its own self-driving car experiment in 2008. The accelerator, steering wheel, and brake pedals are absent from this vehicle. It runs without the need for user input because it is driven by an electric motor. To guarantee that the driverless experience is seamless and secure, it is integrated with specialized software, a collection of sensors, and precise digital maps.

Android, widely regarded as one of the most significant innovations of the decade, revolutionized the market by flooding it with devices running Java and Symbian earlier on. These days, Android is the operating system used by the majority of smartphones. Millions of applications are supported by it.

c) Computer Vision

A number of sub-domains fall under the umbrella of computer vision, including learning, video tracking, object recognition, object pose estimation, event detection, indexing, picture restoration, and scene reconstruction. In order to produce symbolic information, the field includes methods for processing, analyzing, obtaining, and understanding images in high-dimensional data from the real world.

d) Touch Screen Technology

It appears that touch screen technology has taken over the planet. The popularity of touch screen gadgets can be attributed to their ease of use. These gadgets are becoming quite popular everywhere.

e) Method of 3D Printing

The 3D printer is capable of producing a wide range of items, such as lamps, cookware, accessories, and much more. Alternatively referred to as additive manufacturing, this process uses digital model data from electronic data sources like Additive Manufacturing Files (AMF) to construct three-dimensional items of any shape.

Git Hub is an online hosting service and version control repository that was founded in 2008. It provides features including bug tracking, task management, feature requests, and the sharing of codes, apps, and other materials. The GitHub platform was first developed in 2007, and the website went live in 2008.

f) Smart Timepieces

The market for smart watches has been around for a while. The more recent models, like the one introduced by Apple, have garnered enormous popularity and come with a number of extra capabilities. Nearly all of the functionality found on smartphones are included in these watches, which are also more convenient to wear and use.

g) Websites for Crowdfunding

The emergence of crowdsourcing websites like Indiegogo, Kickstarter, and GoFundMe has been a blessing for innovators. Inventors, artists, and other creative people can share their ideas and gain the funding they need to put them into action by using these websites.

Global scientists constantly observe and experiment to develop new scientific discoveries that improve people's lives. Not only do they consistently create new technologies, but they also adapt the ones that already exist whenever there is an opportunity. Even while these innovations have made life easier for humans, you are all aware of the numerous environmental, social, and political risks they have brought about.

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Essay on Science- FAQs

Who is father of science.

Galileo is the father of science.

Why is it called science?

The word "scientia" has Latin origins and originally meant "knowledge," "an expertness," or "experience."

What is science for students?

Science is the study of the world by observation, recording, listening, and watching. Science is the application of intellectual inquiry into the nature of the world and its behavior. Think like a scientist, anyone can.

What is science's primary goal or objective?

Science's primary goal is to provide an explanation for the facts. Moreover, science does not prohibit the explanation of facts in an arbitrary manner. Additionally, science organizes the data and develops theories to explain the data.

Describe what a scientific fact is.

Repeatable, meticulous observations or measurements made through experiments or other methods are referred to as scientific facts. Furthermore, empirical evidence is another name for a scientific fact. Most importantly, the development of scientific hypotheses depends on scientific facts.

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Collection  04 November 2019

Essay series: Lessons from 150 years of science

In this collection of essays published to mark Nature’s 150th anniversary, leading historians explore how the past century and a half has forged some of the defining features of today’s scientific system.

We ignore the past at our peril

To navigate the present, we must heed the lessons of history.

Discovery is always political

David Kaiser traces the roots of government support for science, in the first of a series of essays on how the past 150 years have shaped the research system, marking Nature ’s 150th anniversary.

• David Kaiser

China: How science made a superpower

Shellen Wu traces the rise of the dominant force in science, in the second of a series of essays on the ways in which the past 150 years have shaped today’s research system, marking Nature ’s anniversary.

How science has shifted our sense of identity

Biological advances have repeatedly changed who we think we are, writes Nathaniel Comfort, in the third essay of a series marking Nature ’s anniversary on how the past 150 years have shaped science today.

• Nathaniel Comfort

Data — from objects to assets

How did data get so big? Through political, social and economic interests, shows Sabina Leonelli, in the fourth essay on how the past 150 years have shaped the science system, marking Nature ’s anniversary.

• Sabina Leonelli

Can marketplace science be trusted?

Historian Paul Lucier traces the explosion and fragmentation of industrial research in the fifth essay in a series on how the past 150 years have shaped today’s science system, marking Nature’ s anniversary.

• Paul Lucier

Ethical research — the long and bumpy road from shirked to shared

From all too scarce, to professionalized, the ethics of research is now everybody’s business, argues Sarah Franklin in the sixth essay in a series on how the past 150 years have shaped science, marking Nature ’s anniversary.

• Sarah Franklin

Science must move with the times

Research cannot fulfil its social contract and reach new horizons by advancing on the same footing into the future, argues Philip Ball in the last essay of a series on how the past 150 years have shaped today’s science system, to mark Nature ’s anniversary.

• Philip Ball

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Essay on Importance of Science in Our Life

Science is a systematic process in which various theories, formulas, laws, and thoughts are analysed and evaluated in order to determine the truth about the facts of anything.

This systematic process studies and generates new knowledge from any kind of activity that occurs in the nature around us or in the universe, of which we are a tiny part.

Table of Contents

Science is essential.

• Importance of Science in Society
• Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Science is a methodical process of extracting true facts from any given thought by adhering to a set of rules known as methodology.

It includes the following:

• Observation: The observations are made based on the collected data and measurements.
• Evidence: If any evidence is gathered for further processing of data evaluation.
• Experiment : Using the data and evidence gathered, experiments are carried out to test the assumption.
• Initiation: Identify the facts based on data and evidence analysis.
• Re-examination and complex analysis: To ensure the veracity and authenticity of the results, the data and evidence are examined several times and critically analysed.
• Verification and review of the results: The results of the experiment are verified and tested by experts to ensure that they are correct.

Science is concerned with generating new knowledge and proving new hypotheses by collecting and analysing data in a systematic manner.

There are numerous scientific disciplines:

• Astrophysics
• Climate science
• Atmospheric science

Importance of science in society

Science and technology play an important role in today’s changing world. Everything from the road to the buildings, the shop to the educational instructions is the result of modern science and technology. Almost everything we see in society is the result of applied science and technology. Even the toothpaste we use to clean our teeth after waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night are products of science and technology.

Electricity

The discovery of electricity was the first modern scientific marvel. It has altered our way of life, society, and culture. It’s a fantastic source of power and energy.

The radio and television Lights, fans, electric irons, mills, factories, and refrigerators are all powered by electricity.

Transport and Communication

Science has simplified and shortened our communication. Ships, boats, trains, buses, and cars can be found on the seas, rivers, and roads. All of these are scientific gifts.

Telegraph, telephone, fax, and wireless communication are also important modes of communication. Trains, steamers, aeroplanes, buses, and other modes of transportation make communication quick and easy.

Medicine and Surgery

• It elevates one’s overall standard of living, quality of life, and life expectancy.
• It aids in detecting and treating diseases, ailments, and conditions.
• It dissects the molecular mechanism of any disease and helps to develop drugs and pharmaceuticals.
• Basic Medical Sciences, in addition to curative care, sow the seeds of preventive care.
• It teaches researchers, doctors, scientists, and even laypeople about living a healthy lifestyle.
• It fosters a fundamental understanding of medical science principles, which may be useful in the future.

Agriculture

A great deal of agricultural research was conducted, which resulted in the production of artificial fertilisers, which are now a basic requirement for all agricultural activities. Agricultural education is now taught in schools across the country. Scientists have gone so far as to study the genomic makeup of plants to select crops that can withstand harsh climate changes. Improved farming techniques have been developed using new technologies such as computer science and biotechnology.

Science has played an important role in agriculture, and the two cannot be separated. Science must be used to help produce better yields on a small piece of land for the world to be able to provide enough food for all of its citizens.

Read more: Chemistry of Life

New scientific understanding may result in new applications.

The discovery of the structure of DNA, for example, was a major breakthrough. It served as the foundation for research that would eventually lead to many practical applications, such as DNA fingerprinting, genetically engineered crops, and genetic disease tests.

New technological developments may result in new scientific discoveries.

For example, the development of DNA copying and sequencing technologies has resulted in significant advances in many areas of science.

Scientific research may be motivated by potential applications.

For example, the possibility of engineering microorganisms to produce drugs for diseases such as malaria motivates many microbe genetics researchers to continue their research.

Frequently Asked Questions on Essay on Importance of Science in Our Life

What role does science play in our lives.

It helps us live a longer and healthier life by monitoring our health, providing medicine to cure our diseases, alleviating aches and pains, assisting us in providing water for our basic needs – including our food – providing energy and making life more enjoyable by including sports, music, entertainment, and cutting-edge communication technology.

How has science influenced our daily lives?

Science has changed how we live and what we believe since the invention of the plough. Science has allowed man to pursue societal concerns such as ethics, aesthetics, education, and justice, to create cultures, and to improve human conditions by making life easier.

How has science made our lives easier?

When scientific discoveries are combined with technological advancements, machines make managing our lives easier. Science has created everything from household appliances to automobiles and aeroplanes. Farmers can now save their crops from pests and other problems thanks to advances in science.

What is the social significance of science and technology?

The essence of how science and technology contribute to society is the creation of new knowledge and then the application of that knowledge to improve human life and solve societal problems.

Why is science education important in the 21st century?

Exemplary science education can offer a rich context for developing many 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving, and information literacy, especially when instruction addresses the nature of science and promotes the use of science practices.

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The oldest tadpole ever found is 161 million years old and amazingly preserved

Emily Kwong

Jessica Yung

Regina G. Barber

Ailsa Chang

An illustration of Notobatrachus degiustoi tadpoles and adults in a mid-Jurassic period pond. Gabriel Lío hide caption

An illustration of Notobatrachus degiustoi tadpoles and adults in a mid-Jurassic period pond.

Frogs, like butterflies and salamanders, have what is called a "bi-phasic life cycle." They undergo metamorphosis to grow from their larval stage, as a non-reproductive tadpole that swims underwater, to their adult stage, as a frog that can jump on land.

This drastic transformation is considered by scientists to be a marvel of nature — and now, experts know a little more about its history.

This week, a paper published in the journal Nature detailed a tadpole fossil that proves that tadpoles existed at least 161 million years ago, in the mid-late Jurassic period. This is 20 million years earlier than scientists previously thought.

"When I first saw the fossil, I said, 'Okay, it is a tadpole, there is no doubt,'" says biologist Mariana Chuliver , one of the paper authors. "But then when I saw it under the binocular microscope, I said, 'Okay, this is the best tadpole ever!' Because up to now, there wasn't any other type of fossil tadpole with the gill skeleton preserved."

Fossil CSI: Cracking the case of an ancient reptile graveyard

Well-preserved tadpole fossils like this one, found in Argentina, are especially hard to come by. Tadpoles are delicate creatures. They're made of much more cartilage than a frog and this larval phase only lasts a few months before they transform.

Because of this, the study has been really exciting to tadpole experts across the world.

Take Richard Wassersug , a research scientist with expertise in amphibian and reptile fossils. "I read the paper this morning several times. I kept on looking at the pictures in amazement." He recalls thinking, "'Oh my God, this is real. This is a fossil tadpole. And this really looks like a tadpole.' So few people know what the inside of tadpoles look like to appreciate what an incredible find this is."

Because not all frog species undergo metamorphosis (some instead hatch as juvenile frogs straight from the egg), it has been a matter of debate whether frogs' earliest ancestors were first tadpoles.

What fossilized poop can teach us about dinosaurs

For Chuliver, this discovery hints that the early evolution of frogs might have been tightly related to metamorphosis. "Frogs have more than 6000 species. So if we think that the group from the very beginning had tadpoles and metamorphoses, it means that it was probably a successful strategy to survive," she says.

Have another scientific discovery you want us to cover on a future episode? Email us at [email protected] — we might feature your idea on a future episode!

Listen to Short Wave on Spotify and Apple Podcasts .

Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave .

This episode was produced by Hannah Chinn. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez and fact-checked by Nathan Rott and Tyler Jones. The audio engineer was Kwesi Lee.