Science is usually thought of as the touch-me-not of all subjects – a field only for ‘smart’ students or nerds. But science has so much more to offer than a successful, well-paying career that’s sure to impress every other traditional parent.
Studying science, especially from a young age, develops a way of analytical thinking that sticks with you regardless of whether you pursue the subject later. It drives you to question everything, follow Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman’s “I wonder why, I wonder why I wonder why, I wonder why…” mantra and take nothing for granted. Science teaches you to never make empty claims, but instead back everything up with credible evidence.
While it may not be a tangible benefit, you start implementing the basic concepts of science in daily problem solving: understanding the issue, creating a plan, executing it and reflecting on the outcome.
Haven’t you ever wondered what actually goes behind the making of the screen you’re reading this on? How did we reach a stage where communication can be done through thin air in a world that started out as nothing but nature? That is the essence of science. Believe it or not, it’s everywhere! It feeds your curiosity, that constant itch to find out how and why things work the way they do.
Come to think of it, science is not actually difficult. This may sound controversial, but sit back and ponder about what science actually is. It’s not the contents of our IGCSE textbooks nor is it the list of equations we must memorize; science is simply the art of questioning. It’s the ceaseless thirst for knowledge, the need to learn more. It’s the formulation of a question, then a hypothesis and the continuous struggle of experimentation with nothing but curiosity as fuel until you finally, finally find a solution.
This isn’t limited to science laboratories or high-tech equipment; it can be done with household objects as basic as a matchstick and a glass of water – that is how scientist Eunice Foote discovered the effects of greenhouse gasses! Science doesn’t require anything more than an inquisitive mind. As world-renowned scientist Albert Einstein said, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”
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