Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Science and Society: New Perspectives and Possibilities


by Arianne Gervacio and Julienne Lim

The Science and Society (Sci10) course has given us a variety of informative discussions of our current surrounding and the conditions in which we live in. A deeper understanding of our society was taught in order to raise awareness amongst its listeners in hopes for a realization that will catalyze change not only within ourselves but also the community. Being a management major, knowing about the current situation of the world made me realize how much the business world is closely related to society. The actions of one corporation can have far-reaching effects. And Sci10 made me realize that as an Atenean and a future businessman, I have a responsibility to keep society stable and sustainable through considering different factors while running the business. It made me realize that running a business isn’t just about one entity alone, there are multiple organizations and groups that are affected by the operations and goods offered by a business. And that we should be aware of this and be able to widen our perspective in order to run a successful business that brings benefits to society.

I’ve never considered myself to be a scientist. I’m a management of applied chemistry major, but it’s still considered a management major with a chemical background. I’m not one of those hardcore BS Chemistry majors. Technically, I’m not a scientist. However, going through this course (Sci10), made me realize that everyone can be a scientist. Being a scientist doesn’t necessarily mean being in the laboratory the whole day and mixing chemicals. Being a scientist is more than that. Anyone can be a scientist, even without studying a science course. Being a scientist just means that one is able to use observation and critical thinking to examine the world around him and to try to address these problems. There is still so much to gain, learn and discover. Our world is an endless sea of knowledge, full of possibilities and opportunities for scientists like us to know more about. Sci10 has taught us to keep our curiosity aflame because that will be our drive to explore the world we live in. SCI 10 has given us an insight and touched the surface of what our world has to offer.

During the semester, SCI 10 always provided new information, new perspectives on how we look at our surroundings, society and the world. What stuck to me most was not how we look at our small-scale surroundings, but the bigger picture- the universe, how everything came to be. I have always been enamored by the massiveness of which our world in located in. I realized that if in our small world contains endless possibilities what more the opportunities that the universe presents! I have learned to approach the mystery of the unknown with a curious and unbiased mind. SCI 10 has taught me that things may not always be what they seem, that there may be something else that lies underneath it all. This is how I look at the universe. From where we stand, we only think of the universe as a massive ocean of stars and other planets but what sparks my curiosity is how it all began. How our planet came to be. We see our world as an entity that is always present in our surroundings but in the scale of the universe it is just a small speck in comparison to the surroundings of our world. I have always believed that there is a large possibility that we are not alone, that there are other living organisms present in our solar system or a different one. The greatest part is that one day we may find the answer to that or one day we may not. It’s the trait of knowledge of the possibilities of the unknown that I have come to learn in SCI 10.


Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Explaining the existence of our Universe


by Jemima Tan

One question that has always been asked by mankind since antiquity is: “How did this universe come about?” Indeed, explaining away our very existence seems to have been an obsession of humans in general. Of course, as their technology and knowledge were still very limited during their era, our early ancestors attributed their existence to divine beings, and further elaborated on the story of creation by passing down myths and legends of these extraordinary deities and stories.



Ever since ancient times, man has also been fascinated by the sky, the sun, the moon, and what lies beneath the cosmos. In ancient times, they attached supernatural meanings to the sun, the moon, and the stars. As civilization developed, there was an increasing interest in astronomy. Early astronomers managed to discover and name many stars that were visible to the human eye, as well as primitive telescopes. As more and more heavenly bodies were discovered, the more astounded mankind became of the universe’s vastness, and of the fact that many more unknown planets and stars must lie out there beyond their knowledge and comprehension.



Fortunately, as decades, centuries, and millennia passed, civilization reached even greater heights and more and more advanced technologies were being developed. Astronomers of the Middle Ages had by then developed some knowledge of the solar system, but of course their knowledge was still insufficient. They even were convinced that all of the planets, including the Sun, revolved around the Earth. Through further research, the geocentric model was rendered obsolete by the heliocentric model proposed by Copernicus. This model encountered a lot of opposition, especially by the Church, when Copernicus first proposed it.



Around a thousand years ago, people believed that the Earth was flat and that the Sun revolved around it. Of course, we now know better. But during those early times, those facts were considered the ABSOLUTE TRUTH. In Stephen Hawking’s The Universe, we learn the challenges faced by the proponents of the Big Bang theory. Einstein, the most famous scientist and genius in the world, rejected the Big Bang theory and the idea that the universe was constantly expanding at first. Hubble eventually made the Big Bang theory the accepted universe creation theory through his telescopes. But just how long will this theory constitute as the dominant paradigm? This just goes to show that the theories and the things that we consider true change with the times. Who knows, in a hundred years we may have a completely different theory of the creation of the universe, a theory completely different from the Big Bang!


Sunday, March 3, 2013

Stars, Stardust, & The Vast Universe

1. It all began with a big bang.

One of the greatest challenges of man is to find out how the universe actually came into being. More often than not, this is the area in which religion & science seem to collide. Theologians would suggest that God is the source of everything. They believe that the universe, along with everything that exists within it, was created in seven days through the divine power of the almighty. However, this theory leaves a great question unanswered: If God created the universe, then who created the so-called God?  

Science, on the other hand, presents theories backed up by years and years of experimentation and research. In his discussion, Fr. Ben Nebres talked about the theory that is considered to be the most sound and logical explanation of the origin of the universe, which is the big bang theory. The reasons why it's widely accepted? It's probably because this theory presents the most logical sequence of events that could have led the the birth of our known universe. Also, it could be for the reason that it's the theory that we humans could actually grasp and comprehend. 

Like most theories, the big bang theory remains to be what it is: a theory. Nonetheless, man's unwavering curiosity will continue to fuel the steadfast search for the origin of the universe. 


2. We are made up of the same particles that once created the universe. 

Let's take time out to pause and marvel at the fact that we human beings down here on Earth have particles of the vast universe pieced within each of us. Imagine the stars up above --whatever stardust they are made up of has contributed to creating what we are today. Small as we are, as compared to the heavenly bodies up in space, the reality remains: we are intertwined with the universe. The difference, however, is that the future of the universe of uncertain, while ours [unfortunately] is not. The universe may either further expand, or collapse on itself, or create another cycle through the "big bounce". The point of certainty is that no one knows what's going to happen. The models of science have yet to determine the fate of the boundless skies that hang above us.

Our case, on the other hand, is different & simple:
from stardust we began & to stardust we shall return.


3. Much is known, yet there is more to know.

Over time, countless theories about the origin of the universe have been formulated by the world's greatest minds; but ultimately, the answer that would piece it all together has not yet been found. The truth is that it cannot be helped. The expanse of the universe is far too great for man to actually know every single nitty-gritty detail about it. This both poses a challenge and presents a privilege. 

THE CHALLENGE: It challenges the capacity of the human mind to dig deeper into what is already known & to delve into what remains to be unknown.
THE PRIVILEGE: Having more to know gives human beings the opportunity for future great discoveries. It allows us to continue staring up at the skies, both wondering & marvelling: what else could be up there?