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ResearchResearch
OEDOEDNounNoun: :
The act of searching (closely or carefully) for or after a specified thing or The act of searching (closely or carefully) for or after a specified thing or person. person.
a. A search or investigation directed to the discovery of some fact by careful a. A search or investigation directed to the discovery of some fact by careful consideration or study of a subject; a course of critical or scientific inquiry. consideration or study of a subject; a course of critical or scientific inquiry. b. Without article: Investigation, inquiry into things. Also, as a quality of b. Without article: Investigation, inquiry into things. Also, as a quality of persons, habitude of carrying out such investigation. persons, habitude of carrying out such investigation.
Investigation or pursuit of a subject. RInvestigation or pursuit of a subject. Rare.are.
VerbVerb: :
transtrans. To search into (a matter or subject); to investigate or study closely. . To search into (a matter or subject); to investigate or study closely. Also, to engage in research upon (a subject, a person, etc.). Also, to engage in research upon (a subject, a person, etc.).
So: Search, and re-search!So: Search, and re-search!
Google it.Google it.ResearchResearch
883,000,000 hits (2009/09/09)883,000,000 hits (2009/09/09)
885,000,000 hits (2007/6/26)885,000,000 hits (2007/6/26)
Why is research important?Why is research important?
1, 570,000,000 hits (2009/09/09)1, 570,000,000 hits (2009/09/09)
Research process (or, strategy)Research process (or, strategy)
345 million hits...345 million hits...
Scientific method?Scientific method?
12,700,00012,700,000
btw ... don't Google --> btw ... don't Google --> google scholargoogle scholar ? ?
How to create new knowledgeHow to create new knowledge(or evaluate old stuff)(or evaluate old stuff)
Historical perspective.Historical perspective.
Await revelation.Await revelation.
Await enlightenment.Await enlightenment.
Methodical evaluation.Methodical evaluation.
Fake it.Fake it.
How to do researchHow to do research
Identify a topicIdentify a topic
Harder than it sounds...Harder than it sounds...
Find background informationFind background information
Libraries, books and articles (oh my!)Libraries, books and articles (oh my!)
Evaluate quality of sourcesEvaluate quality of sources
CitationsCitations
What happens when you can't find the answer?What happens when you can't find the answer?
Don't forgetDon't forget
Knowledge is a function of BOTH method and Knowledge is a function of BOTH method and contextcontext..
We assume a certain level of logic and mechanism.We assume a certain level of logic and mechanism.
We also assume that rational principles govern the world.We also assume that rational principles govern the world.
We further assume that humans are logical and capable We further assume that humans are logical and capable of deducing these principles.of deducing these principles.
[Now – That's a leap of faith!][Now – That's a leap of faith!]
Four Easy StepsFour Easy Steps
Observation and description of a phenomenon or group of Observation and description of a phenomenon or group of phenomena.phenomena.
Formulation of an hypothesis to explain the phenomena. Formulation of an hypothesis to explain the phenomena. Often, the hypothesis often takes the form of a causal Often, the hypothesis often takes the form of a causal mechanism or a mathematical relationship.mechanism or a mathematical relationship.
Use of the hypothesis to predict the existence of other Use of the hypothesis to predict the existence of other phenomena, or to quantitatively predict the results of new phenomena, or to quantitatively predict the results of new observations.observations.
Performance of empirical tests of the predictions by Performance of empirical tests of the predictions by appropriately designed experiments and, preferably, appropriately designed experiments and, preferably, several independent experimenters.several independent experimenters.
What's Important?What's Important?
What did Albert Einstein think?What did Albert Einstein think?
““Imagination is more important than knowledge.”Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
““The important thing is to never stop questioning.”The important thing is to never stop questioning.”
““The independence created by philosophical insight ... The independence created by philosophical insight ... is the mark of distinction between a mere artisan or is the mark of distinction between a mere artisan or specialist and a real seeker of the truth.”specialist and a real seeker of the truth.”
Another way to put it:Another way to put it:
"Invention, my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% "Invention, my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation and 2% butterscotch electricity, 4% evaporation and 2% butterscotch ripple."ripple."
W. WonkaW. Wonka
The ProblemThe Problem
1970 1980 1990 2000 20030
10
20
30
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50
60
70
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Goals of entering College Freshman
Make MoneyMeaningful Life
2005, Kaplan's Americas Hottest Colleges, Newsweek
The REAL Problem;The REAL Problem;(and the SOLUTION)(and the SOLUTION)
How much time do American students spend in How much time do American students spend in school??school??
High School (High School (900 hrs / year)900 hrs / year)
College College (16 hrs/week * 15 weeks/ semester * 2 semesters)(16 hrs/week * 15 weeks/ semester * 2 semesters)
480 hrs / year480 hrs / year
How much time do American students How much time do American students spend??? spend???
1,023 hrs / year on television1,023 hrs / year on television
110.4 BILLION txt msgs. omg.110.4 BILLION txt msgs. omg.
>100 million tweets ...>100 million tweets ...
BiologyBiology
The science of life .... a tad obvious …The science of life .... a tad obvious …
The four pillars of biologyThe four pillars of biology
All living things:All living things:
exhibit cellular organizationexhibit cellular organization
have a mechanism of heredity (usually DNA)have a mechanism of heredity (usually DNA)
adapt to their environments, producing unique features adapt to their environments, producing unique features (homeostasis)(homeostasis)
conserve key featuresconserve key features
““Nothing in biology makes sense, except in the Nothing in biology makes sense, except in the light of evolution.” light of evolution.” – T. Dobzhansky– T. Dobzhansky
An incomplete historyAn incomplete history
Domestication of plants and animalsDomestication of plants and animalsCharles DarwinCharles Darwin (1857) (1857)
Frances Galton and Karl PearsonFrances Galton and Karl Pearsonlate 19th and early 20th centurieslate 19th and early 20th centuries
human variation in morphometry and behaviorhuman variation in morphometry and behavior
Charles Darwin (1859-1861)Charles Darwin (1859-1861)
What happened to Mendel?What happened to Mendel?*** *** February 8, 1865 ***February 8, 1865 ***Rediscovery by Tschermak (Austria), Correns Rediscovery by Tschermak (Austria), Correns (Germany) and DeVries (Holland) (1903, 1904)(Germany) and DeVries (Holland) (1903, 1904)
Old ideas revisitedOld ideas revisited
Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919)Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919)
EcologyEcology
OntogenyOntogeny
PhylogenyPhylogeny
HeterochronyHeterochrony
Biogenetic Law (1866)Biogenetic Law (1866)
““Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny”Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny”
"The ocean is a wilderness reaching "The ocean is a wilderness reaching 'round the globe, wilder than a 'round the globe, wilder than a
Bengal jungle, and fuller of Bengal jungle, and fuller of monsters, washing the very wharves monsters, washing the very wharves of our cities and the gardens of our of our cities and the gardens of our
sea-side residences."sea-side residences."
- Henry David Thoreau, 1864- Henry David Thoreau, 1864
Haeckel and the radiolariansHaeckel and the radiolarians
Haeckel described, Haeckel described, classified, and classified, and painted over painted over 3000 species of 3000 species of radiolarians.radiolarians.
CREDIT: CREDIT: COURTESY COURTESY FIRST FIRST RUN/ICARUS RUN/ICARUS FILMSFILMS
Ontogeny recapitulates phylogenyOntogeny recapitulates phylogeny
Haeckel noticed that Haeckel noticed that vertebrate vertebrate embryos pass embryos pass through a series through a series of similar stages of similar stages in embryonic in embryonic development.development.
Romanes' 1892 copy Romanes' 1892 copy of Haeckel's of Haeckel's allegedly fraudulent allegedly fraudulent embryo drawingsembryo drawings(public domain)(public domain)
… … or, does it?or, does it?
Photomicrographs Photomicrographs were taken by were taken by Lennart Nillson, and Lennart Nillson, and can be viewed can be viewed directly at the directly at the Odyssey of LifeOdyssey of Life
NOVA series on PBSNOVA series on PBS
Livestock Populations of the WorldLivestock Populations of the World(average 1990 - 92)(average 1990 - 92)
Species Population(x 109)
% change1980 - 82
Cattle 1.3 4Sheep & goats 1.8 13Pigs 0.9 10Equines 0.1 7Buffaloes and camels 0.2 16Chickens 17.2 132People 5.3 19
(FAOSTAT, 1994,1998,2003)
20002002Population1.351.80.910.120.1818.25.9
CURRENT WORLD POPULATION: 6,707,019,126
What are the challenges of human What are the challenges of human population growth?population growth?
Undernutrition Undernutrition
More on the next slideMore on the next slide
Disease transmissionDisease transmission
More plants and animalsMore plants and animals
Shrinking gene poolsShrinking gene pools
BiosecurityBiosecurity
Xenobiotic transmissionXenobiotic transmission
Social frictionSocial friction
We experience more cultures We experience more cultures than ever before.than ever before.
Misunderstanding; Misunderstanding; both linguistic and cultural, both linguistic and cultural, aboundabound
Human biologyHuman biology
Shrinking gene poolShrinking gene pool
Is there any 'natural Is there any 'natural selection'?selection'?
Worldwide Chronic Worldwide Chronic UndernutritionUndernutrition
Percentage of population undernourished, 199092Percentage of population undernourished, 199092
< 10%< 10% 20 30%20 30%
10 20%10 20%
> 50%> 50%
30 50%30 50% Not EstimatedNot Estimated
FAO Technical Atlas, Chronic Undernutrition, Rome 1996(Undernourished is defined as lacking access to enough food to meet dietary energy supply requirement (2,200 cal/day/adult))
http://www.fao.org/es/ess/faostat/foodsecurity/FSMap/flash_map.htm
2004 USDA Hunger Survey2004 USDA Hunger Survey
38.2 million Americans (13.2%) now live in 38.2 million Americans (13.2%) now live in hungry and food-insecure households.hungry and food-insecure households.
Over 36% of the individuals living in these Over 36% of the individuals living in these households are children households are children (13.9 million children under the age of 18).(13.9 million children under the age of 18).
••The number of American households The number of American households experiencing hunger jumped 43% between experiencing hunger jumped 43% between 1999 and 2004.1999 and 2004.
Worldwide Meat Consumption (1997)Worldwide Meat Consumption (1997)Country Beef Pork Poultry Mutton Total
United States 44 31 48 1 123Germany 16 54 15 1 86Italy 26 35 19 2 82Argentina 58 - 21 1 80UnitedKingdom
16 25 27 6 74
Brazil 36 9 24 - 70New Zealand 37 - - 29 66Mexico 21 10 20 2 53China 5 35 11 2 53Russia 19 13 13 1 46South Africa 17 - 24 4 44Japan 12 17 12 1 40Egypt 8 - 6 1 16India 1 - 1 1 3Indonesia - - 2 - 2
All IndustrialNations 21 25 24 2 72
All DevelopingNations
5 11 7 1 24
Of the world's ten most populous nations (China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Brazil,Russia, Pakistan, Japan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria), only five (China, the United States, Brazil,Russia, and Japan) consume large amounts of meat, ranging from 40 kg per capita in Japan to123 kg per capita in the United States. The remaining five, along with most countries in Africa,all consume less than 5 kg per capita. Source: USDA.
Where do you get Where do you get youryour calories? calories?
CaloriesCarb (g) Fat (g) Protein (g)Big Mac 580 47 33 24Fries (Super Size) 597 75.7 29.1 8.7Coke (Super Size) 499 101.5 0 0Apple Pie 265 34 13 3TOTAL 1842 258.2 75.1 35.7
Perhaps, more importantly:Did you get enough protein for your calories??
The world and plantsThe world and plantsPlumBlueberryCranberryPecanSunflower
Maize (corn)TomatoCottonSweet potatoCommon bean
PotatoPeanutLima Bean
YamPineapple
OatsSugar beetRyeCabbage
Wheat BarleyOnion PeaLentil Chick-peaFig DatePear Apple (?)
BuckwheatAlfalfaHemp
SoybeanCabbageOnionPeach
Oriental riceBananaCitrusSugarcaneTea
CoconutBreadfruit
Macadamia nut
EggplantCucumberSesame (?)
African riceSorghumYamWatermelonCoffee
SOURCES: J. R. Harlan, "The plants and animals that nourish Man', Sci. Amer. 235(3):88-97, Sept., 1986
E. S. E. Hafez, The Behaviour of Domestic Animals, The Williams & Wilkins Company, Baltimore, 1969.
The 7 Neolithic Founder CropsThe 7 Neolithic Founder Crops
LevYadun et al., (2000) The Cradle of Agriculture
Wait a minute … What’s domestication?Wait a minute … What’s domestication?
Economic UseEconomic Usesuch as meat, fur, eggs, milk, laborsuch as meat, fur, eggs, milk, laborcompanionship!!companionship!!
The breeding, care and feeding of the animal are The breeding, care and feeding of the animal are under the continuous control of manunder the continuous control of man
Any situation where artificial selection has Any situation where artificial selection has replaced, in part, natural selectionreplaced, in part, natural selection
The world, plants and animalsThe world, plants and animalsPlumBlueberryCranberryPecanSunflower
Maize (corn)TomatoCottonSweet potatoCommon bean
PotatoPeanutLima Bean
YamPineapple
OatsSugar beetRyeCabbage
Wheat BarleyOnion PeaLentil Chick-peaFig DatePear Apple (?)
BuckwheatAlfalfaHemp
SoybeanCabbageOnionPeach
Oriental riceBananaCitrusSugarcaneTea
CoconutBreadfruit
Macadamia nut
EggplantCucumberSesame (?)
African riceSorghumYamWatermelonCoffee
SOURCES: J. R. Harlan, "The plants and animals that nourish Man', Sci. Amer. 235(3):88-97, Sept., 1986
E. S. E. Hafez, The Behaviour of Domestic Animals, The Williams & Wilkins Company, Baltimore, 1969.
