• Question: how many types of science subjects are their

    Asked by NUGGETS to Angela, Claire, Ian, Robert, Sarah on 7 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Ian Cade

      Ian Cade answered on 7 Nov 2014:

      I expect you have only really encountered ‘the sciences’ as subjects taught at school, or in museums with particular focusses. I would say this gives a slightly misleading view of science as ‘split up into particular subjects’, it is not.

      For example: If you look at the living world (Biology) closely enough you see that behind all the animal/plant characteristics, there are individual organisms made up of particular organs/tissues, each made up of particular proteins/lipids etc, which are made up of particular molecules (Chemistry), which are made up of particular atoms, which are made up of particular sub-atomic particles (Physics).

      It would be possible (even if enormously difficult) to derive the biological world simply from understanding the interactions of quarks, leptons bosons and the like. So really, if you look carefully enough, there is no great distinction between physics and biology.

      Science is the method by which you can come up with testable models for how the universe changes with time, and there is only one universe… So, I would say, in answer to your question…

      There is one science

    • Photo: Angela Stokes

      Angela Stokes answered on 8 Nov 2014:

      Hi Nuggets

      I guess what you mean here is how many subjects can be called science? Well I really can’t answer that because there are just so many. In school I guess traditionally the subjects thought of as science are chemistry, biology, physics, but really mathematics, computer science/information technology, sports science, rural science, home economics and geography could all be called science because they all have scientific principles attached to them and also as Ian has said below they really all overlap each other so it is all just science.
      Hope this helps.

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