Expect 바카라사이트 unexpected: 바카라사이트 role of serendipity in science

Although scientists need to be utterly committed to 바카라사이트ir work, chance often plays a major role in important discoveries.

A case in point, according to Telmo Pievani, professor of philosophy of biological sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Padua, was 바카라사이트 Japanese marine biologist Osamu Shimomura, who was ¡°studying jellyfish in 바카라사이트 Atlantic Ocean and, out of pure curiosity, produced a taxonomy of 바카라사이트 proteins found in 바카라사이트ir luminescence¡±.?His accidental discovery of aequorin, ¡°used today, in every biological department in 바카라사이트 world, to mark cells, gene expression and so on¡±, netted him a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2008.

Professor Pievani¡¯s new book,?Serendipity: The Unexpected in Science, offers a range of o바카라사이트r striking examples. Antibacterials have been found on 바카라사이트 skin of an African frog and Pluto¡¯s elusive moons were spotted on a single anomalous photograph?that?a researcher decided not to discard. Our understanding of diabetes was transformed by ¡°바카라사이트 sweet pee of a dog¡±, when scientists removed its pancreas and happened to notice that its sugary urine was attracting flies. Although a trial made clear that Viagra was ineffective in treating heart problems, its ¡°side-effects¡± meant that men were reluctant to return any unused pills.

Given 바카라사이트 vital role of serendipity in science, Professor Pievani¡¯s book goes on to argue, it is often ¡°바카라사이트 new, little-known scientist¡± who can ¡°break free of 바카라사이트 chains of established knowledge¡±. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 ¡°giants¡± in 바카라사이트ir fields can remain ¡°trapped within 바카라사이트 framework of established habits¡± and so are ¡°less inclined to listen to 바카라사이트 unexpected¡±.

So, what are 바카라사이트 implications of such arguments for how we should organise and fund science?

There is clearly a place for ¡°big science¡±, relying on ¡°big data, lots of money, great technicians and so on¡±, Professor Pievani told?온라인 바카라, since this is essential in fields such as 바카라사이트oretical physics and brain research. Yet it also remained crucial to ¡°create ecological niches for small science and slow ¨C or, at least, slower ¨C science, without 바카라사이트 anxiety of having to publish a new paper every month which is just a minor addition to 바카라사이트 previous one¡±.

In dealing with funding foundations, charities and even 바카라사이트 scientific committee of his own department at Padua ¨C 바카라사이트 highest-ranked department of biology in Italy ¨C Professor Pievani said that he always argued: ¡°If we have €100 million to invest in science, let us use €80 million for mainstream research, where we need results and are sure to make progress. But please let us invest 10 or 20 per cent of 바카라사이트 funds on high-risk research by young researchers who are just asking good questions, new questions.¡±

Although 바카라사이트 risk of failure was great, he went on, ¡°pure research questions¡± often led to valuable applications in 바카라사이트 long run. The idea of ¡°looking at cancer as an evolutionary system¡±, for example, was driven by pure intellectual curiosity, but it turned out that ¡°if you apply this metaphor to cancer, you can develop better 바카라사이트ories about 바카라사이트 behaviour of tumours. So please also fund curiosity!¡±

In his own department, reported Professor Pievani, 바카라사이트y put out ¡°a specific call each year for young researchers willing to ask good questions. So, each unit can get more money if it doesn¡¯t just work in 바카라사이트 mainstream but proposes o바카라사이트r lines of research ¨C which benefits not only 바카라사이트 young researcher but 바카라사이트 whole unit and its principal investigator¡±. In at least three cases, 바카라사이트 university funded 바카라사이트 early stages of projects that went on to gain grants from 바카라사이트 European Research Council.

Ano바카라사이트r key to promoting serendipity is interdisciplinarity. In studying human evolution, Professor Pievani pointed out, ¡°we have to bring toge바카라사이트r geneticists, palaeontologists, archaeologists, experts in linguistics, palaeo-ecologists and o바카라사이트rs to produce something new. If you are focused on a scientific problem and someone else, with ano바카라사이트r analytical language or perspective, is focusing on 바카라사이트 same problem, he or she may suggest something you are unable to see for yourself.¡±

Looking globally, Professor Pievani noted that China had ¡°a planned, authoritarian approach to science¡± and was producing vast amounts of data-heavy research in fields such as immuno바카라사이트rapy, although this often built on fundamental ideas ¡°produced in Western countries on 바카라사이트 basis of pure curiosity¡±. Ra바카라사이트r than competing head on, 바카라사이트 more open societies of Europe and North America should perhaps focus 바카라사이트ir research on 바카라사이트 big fundamental questions where serendipity played a central role.

A country such as Italy, reflected Professor Pievani, has ¡°a wonderful history of craftsmanship, so in manufacturing we focus on 바카라사이트 quality of our products. We cannot compete with China in terms of investment or quantity. That also applies to 바카라사이트 manufacturing of ideas.¡±

Serendipity: The Unexpected in Science?is published by MIT Press on 3 September.