zigya tab
The shells of crabs found around a particular coastal location in Japan seem mostly to resemble the legendary face of a Samurai. Given below are two explanations of this observed fact. Which of these strikes you as a scientific explanation ?
(a) A tragic sea accident several centuries ago drowned a young Samurai. As a tribute
to his bravery, nature through its inscrutable ways immortalised his face by imprinting it on the crab shells in that area.
(b) After the sea tragedy, fishermen in that area, in a gesture of honour to their dead hero, let free any crab shell caught by them which accidentally had a shape resembling the face of a Samurai. Consequently, the particular shape of the crab shell survived longer and therefore in course of time the shape was genetically
propagated. This is an example of evolution by artificial selection.
[Note : This interesting illustration taken from Carl Sagan’s ‘The Cosmos’ highlights
the fact that often strange and inexplicable facts which on the first sight appear  ‘supernatural’ actually turn out to have simple scientific explanations. Try to think
out other examples of this kind].




Explanation (b) is the correct scientific explanation of the given fact. 

205 Views

“It is more important to have beauty in the equations of physics than to have them agree with experiments”. The great British physicist P.A.M. Dirac held this view. Criticize the statement. Look out for some equations and results in this book which strike you as beautiful.

Physics is often considered as a dry subject which aims to give qualitative and quantitative treatment. Any derived relation or equation is explained on the basis of experimentation and observation. The truth of an equation is more  important than the simplicity, wonderfulness, symmetry or beauty of the equation. But if a relation is true to experimentation and simultaneously it is simple, interesting, symmetrical, wonderful or beautiful, it will certainly add to the charm of the equation.

Equations like E = mc2 or F=ma have universal application and has a charm of it's own. 
172 Views

Advertisement

Some of the most profound statements on the nature of science have come from Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientists of all time. What do you think did Einstein mean when he said : “The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible”?


The Physical world around us consists of different complex natural phenomena and entities. So the world is incomprehensible. But, with the help of study and observations it has been found that all these phenomena are based on some basic physical laws and so it is comprehensible.
205 Views

Advertisement

Though the law gives women equal status in India, many people hold unscientific views on a woman's innate nature, capacity and intelligence, and in practice give them a secondary status and role. Demolish this view using scientific arguments, and by quoting examples of great women in science and other spheres; and persuade yourself and others that, given equal opportunity, women are on par with men.


The brain size of women and men is equal in size and works equally good. If same opportunities are given to both women and men under same working conditions, women can perform as good as men. E.g. Kalpana Chawla (an astronomer), Sonia Gandhi (politician), Madam Curie (physicist), Partibha Patil.

The brain size of women and men is equal in size and works equally go


The brain size of women and men is equal in size and works equally go
497 Views

Science, like any knowledge, can be put to good or bad use, depending on the user.
Given below are some of the applications of science.

Formulate your views on whether the particular application is good, bad or something that cannot be so clearly categorized:

(a) Mass vaccination against small pox to curb and finally eradicate this disease from the population. (This has already been successfully done in India).

(b) Television for eradication of illiteracy and for mass communication of news and ideas.

(c) Prenatal sex determination.

(d) Computers for increase in work efficiency.

(e) Putting artificial satellites into orbits around the Earth.

(f) Development of nuclear weapons.

(g) Development of new and powerful techniques of chemical and biological war-fare.

(h)Purification of water for drinking.

(i) Plastic surgery.

(j) Cloning


(a) Good
(b) Good
(c) Bad
(d) Good
(e) Good
(f)  Bad
(g) Good
(h) Good
(i) In some cases good and in some cases bad.
(j) Cannot be clearly categorized

564 Views

Advertisement