Summary Of The Book 'Aglow In The Dark'

Mariana Lanz

Biology

Part 1

The scientific process is a process that consists of many steps in order to help scientists achieve a factual conclusion. Six actions are taken in this process including observation, communication, classification, measurement, inference, and prediction. Scientific advancement is the idea that, using the scientific process, science will continue to advance and grow. Scientists can use the knowledge they obtain from doing experiment and help progress different areas of science. Intellectual property is a creation of the mind that transforms into new advancements. These can include inventions, artistic works, or logos/symbols. Bioethics is the study of the ethics usually associated with biology and medicine. This

One for example, is Pure and Applied science. Applied science is demonstrated when Tsien uses fluorescent protein to analyze changes in cells. Using this method, he was able to create a way to identify different types of cells; even recognize cancerous ones. His scientific discovery exemplifies applied science due to the use of knowledge to create a system or technology to differentiate cells and their properties. Pure science is indicated when the author mentions Sir George Gabriel and his discoveries. George had no interest in advancing technology using biology, thus he used pure science to solve world phenomenons. He answered many unexplainable questions, like why is the sky blue? Or how do the colors of the rainbows form? Using his knowledge obtained through experiments, he was able to answer these perplexing questions. These amazing findings solved many of the mysteries of the world. Although some scientists disagree over which is better, the main commonality between the two sciences is they both help advance knowledge in biology; which is most important for future

In the prologue of the book, scientists are working on informing themselves of the Alzheimer’s disease. Using lasers, they illuminate a test mouse’s brain with a green glow. They begin to inspect, what looks like a healthy mouse brain other than the illumination. Upon further examination, they discover an area of the brain which is not glowing as it should be. This, they identify as the Alzheimer’s disease; a disorder found commonly among elders that ultimately results in dementia. With the use of GFP they were able to identify Alzheimer’s in otherwise heathy-looking tissue. With the capability to identify this tragic disease sooner, we will be able to slow down or ultimately prevent Alzheimer’s disease before it causes irreversible effects. This group of scientists are helping the community with public health and safety by using their knowledge of the brain to help prevent a common but destructive disorder. The next example of public health and safety begins with 35 year-old Santiago Felipe Ramon Cajal. Always interested in anatomy, Cajal began to study the workings of the brain using one of his idol’s techniques, the Golgi Stain. Using this effective technique he was able to map out a complex system of neurons in the brain. Although many people admired his sketches, a few were still convinced that neurons were not connected; unlike his drawings. Among the unconvinced was his hero Camillo