The magic of science
No, it's not sorcery - it's better
Happy Friday, all. Today - more science! ~JRC
That perennial question about how the world works: "why?" As kids, we all start asking it as soon as we can talk. "Why?" It's how we learn from others, and it's how we start our own investigations. It's the beginning of discovery. But without a mechanism to understand - a testable framework to know - many of life's biggest questions would go unanswered.
Thankfully, we have science! And knowing a bit of it makes life - and making - all the more interesting. One might it even say it makes things magical (ahem).
With science, we propose hypotheses - ideas about how things are - and then set up tests to see if they are true. If validated, we add these new answers to our collective body of knowledge. Over the centuries, humans have accumulated a vast quantity of scientifically acquired information. From space to speciation, we know so much. And there is so much more to learn.
Science comes in two flavors: applied and basic. Applied science is when we use what we already know to achieve practical outcomes. Much of modern medicine and engineering involves this kind of scientific approach. On the other hand, basic research is all about addressing the fundamental "why" for what we've yet to discover. Astrophysicists (space) and evolutionary biologists (life) are two branches of science that explore why, based largely on curiosity.
What's this have to do with making? A lot, actually.
As a maker and a scientist, I love asking why about all the methods and techniques I employ. I could follow plans others have made. Or I could learn some fundamentals, make my own stuff, and call it a day with that. A lifetime of creating can be filled with nothing more than this. But my curiosity is a central driving force in why I make. And having a scientifically informed approach to my making allows me to expand into ever new creative arenas.
But you don't have to be a trained scientist to use science. We all can approach life critically, thinking about how things work and why. The more we do, the more we are capable of understanding. Science, then, is a tool for unlocking the secrets of the universe. At least some of them.
Without science, seeing bread rise would seem like magic. But we know it happens from gasses expanding inside the dough. In the shop, a bit of cutting fluid - oil - helps with drilling steel. We don't need to know why or how to know it works. But understanding viscosity and lubricity teach us to use suitable oils for whatever job is at hand.
Sure, we can get by without knowing much (or any) science. But life isn't simply about getting by. It's about living every moment to the fullest. With science, "living it up" is possible through a heightened awareness that comes with understanding. The more we know, the better it all is.
That's the magic of science.
Until next time.
JRC