importance of science education essay

Why Science?

• Posted November 13, 2015
• By Leah Shafer

The push for STEM initiatives — coding workshops for elementary school children, or extended-day science experiments for middle school students — reigns at the forefront of the education conversation today. But anyone in the classroom knows that science can be a tough subject to teach, with educators at times overwhelmed with the amount of material to cover, and students simultaneously discouraged with the amount to master.

As STEM enthusiasm percolates, the teaching of science — its importance, its challenges — isn’t always part of the conversation. Usable Knowledge spoke with two Harvard faculty members, one an experienced high school teacher and the other a philosopher of science, whose thoughts may help to reframe and revitalize the mission of science education. Both argue that science should be much more than the rote memorization of theories, formulas, and vocabulary. It should be an education in problem solving and collaboration.

Science as Skill Building

HGSE Lecturer Victor Pereira , who taught high school science for more than a decade before becoming the master teacher in residence (science) in the new Harvard Teacher Fellows Program , knows the challenges firsthand. Classes can vary hugely in terms of students’ prior knowledge, experiences, and interest in the subject, he says. By the time they reach high school, many students are wary of science, thinking the material is boring and useless, or that they themselves are incapable of learning it. And building an understanding of science depends on acquiring a new and complicated vocabulary, which can be odious to teach and to learn. 

To confront these obstacles, educators should help their students approach science as more than an academic subject, Pereira says. “The nature of science itself is: make observations of the natural world, try and identify patterns, ask questions, find answers, ask more questions,” he explains. “It’s solving. It’s a way of thinking.” He argues that educators should portray science as acquiring skills, rather than memorizing facts. If the classroom focuses on the scientific process of discovery, more students will be engaged in the subject matter.

Collaborative Search for Truth

To uncover new knowledge and advance their fields, scientists have to be trustworthy themselves. After all, they want their findings to contribute to the discovery of truth — an underlying goal of any scientific inquiry. What’s more, scientists know that the public depends on them to publish accurate research that will lead to necessary advances in health and technology. To meet these expectations, findings must be honestly and meticulously recorded. Because this trustworthiness is a moral attribute, Elgin maintains, scientific inquiry is a moral activity.

But how does this connect to science education?

Elgin explains that the process of learning science reinforces these attributes. Chemistry majors cannot become chemists — and high schoolers cannot pass their chemistry labs — if, as students, they do not work together, double–check their assignments, and remain honest in their reports.

“Science does not happen on an island or in isolation,” Pereira says. It’s the science teacher’s responsibility to make sure that students understand the importance of collaborating, along with staying organized and paying attention to detail.

Fostering Engaged Learners

These interrelated characteristics of science education — the process of discovery and the collaboration on trustworthy results — are not mutually exclusive. Pereira believes that science teachers should encourage their students to look at scientific advancements through an ethical lens, looking for patterns and asking questions about scientific developments. Science teachers should help students think critically about current technologies made possible by science, and reflect on whether future technologies will be morally acceptable.

The payoff of stepping back to consider the purpose of science education? Increased student engagement, Pereira says. Like all of us, students want to learn what’s important. “The science teacher has to make sure that the class is relevant to what’s happening in students’ lives, and that they know how they can apply it,” he says.

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Under the umbrella of the IAP, more than 140 national, regional and global member academies work together to support the vital role of science in seeking evidence-based solutions to the world’s most challenging problems.

IAP empowers academies and regional academy networks to provide independent, authoritative advice on global, regional and national issues.

IAP communicates the importance of science, engineering and medicine.

IAP engages with its member academies in a number of ways to carry out projects and programmes.

Read the latest news from the IAP and its international network.

Science education: purpose, methods, ideas and teaching resources

What is the purpose of science education, what is the best method of teaching science, what is inquiry-based science education, what is an example of inquiry-based learning, free online resources for science teachers, science education ideas.

To prosper in this modern age of innovation requires the capacity to grasp the essentials of diverse problems, to recognise meaningful patterns, to retrieve and apply relevant knowledge.

Science education has the potential for helping the development of the required abilities and understanding by focusing on developing powerful ideas of science and ideas about the nature of scientific activity and its applications .

Scientific literacy refers to an individual’s scientific knowledge and its use . It allows an understanding of the scientific process and makes it possible to apply evidence-based knowledge across a broad range of issues that require individual and collective action (such as responding to COVID-19 and climate change , or understanding AI, machine learning and other new technologies).

Science Education is a key area for the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) , whose Science Education Programme (SEP) is led by a Global Council of experts that defines and implements its annual activities on global and regional scales.

Science education should enhance learners’ curiosity , wonder and questioning , building on their natural inclination to seek meaning and understanding of the world around. Scientific inquiry should be introduced and encountered by school students as an activity that can be carried out by everyone including themselves.

They should have personal experiences of finding out about and of making connections between new and previous experiences that not only bring excitement and satisfaction but also the realisation that they can add to their knowledge through active inquiry . Both the process and product of scientific activity can evoke a positive emotional response which motivates further learning.

Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE) adopts an investigative approach to teaching and learning where students are provided with opportunities to investigate a problem, search for possible solutions, make observations, ask questions, test out ideas, and think creatively and use their intuition. In this sense, inquiry-based science involves students doing science where they have opportunities to explore possible solutions, develop explanations for the phenomena under investigation, elaborate on concepts and processes, and evaluate or assess their understandings in the light of available evidence.

This approach to teaching relies on teachers recognizing the importance of presenting problems to students that will challenge their current conceptual understandings so they are forced to reconcile anomalous thinking and construct new understandings.

IAP seeks to reform and develop science education on a global scale, especially in primary and secondary schools, with a pedagogy based on IBSE because it provides opportunities for students to see how well their ideas work in authentic situations rather than in abstract discussions. Students build knowledge through testing ideas, discussing their understanding with teachers and their peers, and through interacting with scientific phenomena.

An example of inquiry-based learning is ' COVID-19! How can I protect myself and others? ' ( free download here ), a new rapid-response guide for youth aged 8–17 developed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic by the Smithsonian Science Education Center , in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and IAP .

The guide, which is based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , aims to help young people understand the science and social science of COVID-19 as well as help them take actions to keep themselves, their families and communities safe .

Through a set of seven cohesive student-led tasks , participants engage in the activities to answer questions previously defined by their peers . The questions explore the impact of COVID-19 on the world, how to practice hand and respiratory hygiene and physical distancing, and how to research more information about COVID-19. The final task teaches youth how they can take action on the new scientific knowledge they learn to improve their health and the health of others. Each task is designed to be completed at home.

Food! Community Research Guide

Food! is a freely available community research guide that uses the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to focus on sustainable actions that are defined and implemented by students ( download it here ).

Mosquito! Community Research Guide

This module effectively promotes excellence within science education while fostering pioneering approaches to empower and unite educators around the world. Mosquito! addresses the problem of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes from an educational point of view ( download it here ). 

Other teaching resources and guides

You can download more teaching resources and guides here .

The IAP publication “ Working with Big Ideas of Science Education ” (available for free here ) includes this list of ideas that all students should have had opportunity to learn by the end of compulsory education:

All matter in the Universe is made of very small particles

Atoms are the building blocks of all matter, living and non-living. The behaviour and arrangement of the atoms explains the properties of different materials. In chemical reactions atoms are rearranged to form new substances. Each atom has a nucleus containing neutrons and protons, surrounded by electrons. The opposite electric charges of protons and electrons attract each other, keeping atoms together and accounting for the formation of some compounds.

Objects can affect other objects at a distance

All objects have an effect on other objects without being in contact with them. In some cases the effect travels out from the source to the receiver in the form of radiation (e.g. visible light). In other cases action at a distance is explained in terms of the existence of a field of influence between objects, such as a magnetic, electric or gravitational field. Gravity is a universal force of attraction between all objects however large or small, keeping the planets in orbit round the Sun and causing terrestrial objects to fall towards the centre of the Earth.

Changing the movement of an object requires a net force to be acting on it

A force acting on an object is not seen directly but is detected by its effect on the object’s motion or shape. If an object is not moving the forces acting on it are equal in size and opposite in direction, balancing each other. Since gravity affects all objects on Earth there is always another force opposing gravity when an object is at rest. Unbalanced forces cause change in movement in the direction of the net force. When opposing forces acting on an object are not in the same line they cause the object to turn or twist. This effect is used in some simple machines.

The total amount of energy in the Universe is always the same but can be transferred from one energy store to another during an event

Many processes or events involve changes and require an energy source to make them happen. Energy can be transferred from one body or group of bodies to another in various ways. In these processes some energy becomes less easy to use. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Once energy has been released by burning a fossil fuel with oxygen, some of it is no longer available in a form that is as convenient to use.

The composition of the Earth and its atmosphere and the processes occurring within them shape the Earth’s surface and its climate

Radiation from the Sun heats the Earth’s surface and causes convection currents in the air and oceans, creating climates. Below the surface heat from the Earth’s interior causes movement in the molten rock. This in turn leads to movement of the plates which form the Earth’s crust, creating volcanoes and earthquakes. The solid surface is constantly changing through the formation and weathering of rock.

Our solar system is a very small part of one of billions of galaxies in the Universe

Our Sun and eight planets and other smaller objects orbiting it comprise the solar system. Day and night and the seasons are explained by the orientation and rotation of the Earth as it moves round the Sun. The solar system is part of a galaxy of stars, gas and dust, one of many billions in the Universe, enormous distances apart. Many stars appear to have planets.

Organisms are organised on a cellular basis and have a finite life span

All organisms are constituted of one or more cells. Multi-cellular organisms have cells that are differentiated according to their function. All the basic functions of life are the result of what happens inside the cells which make up an organism. Growth is the result of multiple cell divisions.

Organisms require a supply of energy and materials for which they often depend on, or compete with, other organisms

Food provides materials and energy for organisms to carry out the basic functions of life and to grow. Green plants and some bacteria are able to use energy from the Sun to generate complex food molecules. Animals obtain energy by breaking down complex food molecules and are ultimately dependent on green plants as their source of energy. In any ecosystem there is competition among species for the energy resources and materials they need to live and reproduce.

Genetic information is passed down from one generation of organisms to another

Genetic information in a cell is held in the chemical DNA. Genes determine the development and structure of organisms. In asexual reproduction all the genes in the offspring come from one parent. In sexual reproduction half of the genes come from each parent.

The diversity of organisms, living and extinct, is the result of evolution

All life today is directly descended from a universal common ancestor that was a simple one-celled organism. Over countless generations changes resulting from natural diversity within a species lead to the selection of those individuals best suited to survive under certain conditions. Species not able to respond sufficiently to changes in their environment become extinct.

Science is about finding the cause or causes of phenomena in the natural world

Science is a search to explain and understand phenomena in the natural world. There is no single scientific method for doing this; the diversity of natural phenomena requires a diversity of methods and instruments to generate and test scientific explanations. Often an explanation is in terms of the factors that have to be present for an event to take place as shown by evidence from observations and experiments. In other cases supporting evidence is based on correlations revealed by patterns in systematic observation.

Scientific explanations, theories and models are those that best fit the evidence available at a particular time

A scientific theory or model representing relationships between variables of a natural phenomenon must fit the observations available at the time and lead to predictions that can be tested. Any theory or model is provisional and subject to revision in the light of new data even though it may have led to predictions in accord with data in the past.

The knowledge produced by science is used in engineering and technologies to create products to serve human ends

The use of scientific ideas in engineering and technologies has made considerable changes in many aspects of human activity. Advances in technologies enable further scientific activity; in turn this increases understanding of the natural world. In some areas of human activity technology is ahead of scientific ideas, but in others scientific ideas precede technology.

Applications of science often have ethical, social, economic and political implications

The use of scientific knowledge in technologies makes many innovations possible. Whether or not particular applications of science are desirable is a matter that cannot be addressed using scientific knowledge alone. Ethical and moral judgments may be needed, based on such considerations as justice or equity, human safety, and impacts on people and the environment.

Do not miss news and updates on the activities, opportunities and events of The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), its regional networks, member academies and other partner organisations: subscribe to our quarterly newsletter , and follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn , and Youtube .

IAP Science Education Programme

The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP)

Giovanni Ortolani

• Extended University
• UTEP Connect
• December 2021

You’ve probably heard about STEM. The integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics has been a central focus both within and well outside of education. 

In fact, it’s such a powerful concept that it has been hailed as critical to the future — for children, diversity, the workforce and the economy, among other areas. That’s why STEM education has received hundreds of millions of dollars in support from the U.S. government and remains one of the biggest priorities at all levels of the educational system. UTEP also offers a master's degree and a graduate certificate in STEM Education.

But what actually is STEM education, and why is it so important? Here’s what you need to know and how you can help.

What Is STEM Education?

It would be inaccurate to assume that STEM education is merely instruction in the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Rather, the idea is taken a step further.  

STEM education refers to the integration of the four subjects into a cohesive, interdisciplinary and applied learning approach. This isn’t academic theory—STEM education includes the appropriate real-world application and teaching methods. 

As a result, students in any subject can benefit from STEM education. That’s exactly why some educators and organizations refer to it as STEAM, which adds in arts or other creative subjects. They recognize just how powerful the philosophy behind STEM education can be for students.  

Why Is STEM Education Important?

There are several layers to explore in discovering why STEM education is so important. 

In 2018, the White House released the “Charting a Course for Success” report that illustrated how far the United States was behind other countries in STEM education.  

It found that only 20% of high school grads were ready for the rigors of STEM majors. And how over the previous 15 years, the U.S. had produced only 10% of the world’s science and engineering grads. 

Since the founding of the Nation, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have been a source of inspirational discoveries and transformative technological advances, helping the United States develop the world's most competitive economy and preserving peace through strength. The pace of innovation is accelerating globally, and with it the competition for scientific and technical talent. Now more than ever the innovation capacity of the United States — and its prosperity and securit  — depends on an effective and inclusive STEM education ecosystem. - Charting a Course for Success

 That was one of the most news-worthy developments in recent years. It set the stage for many arguments behind STEM in the context of the global economy and supporting it through education. 

Job Outlook and Salary

One of the most direct and powerful arguments for the importance of STEM education is how relevant STEM is in the workforce. In 2018, the Pew Research Center found that STEM employment had grown 79% since 1990 (computer jobs increased 338%).  

What about now? All occupations are projected to increase 7.7% by 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Non-STEM occupations will increase 7.5% while STEM occupations will increase 10.5% .  

The findings are even more pronounced in terms of salary. The median annual wage for all occupations is $41, 950. Those in non-STEM occupations earn $40,020 and those in STEM occupations earn $89,780.  

Even areas like entrepreneurship see the same types of results. A report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) found that tech-based startups pay more than double the national average wage and nearly three times the average overall startup wage. They only make up 3.8% of businesses but capture a much larger share of business research and development investment (70.1%), research and development jobs (58.7%) and wages (8.1%), among other areas.  

Diversity and Skills

An important detail in the passage from “Charting a Course for Success” comes toward the end of the final sentence: “Now more than ever the innovation capacity of the United States—and its prosperity and security—depends on an effective and inclusive STEM education ecosystem.”  

Being inclusive is incredibly important once you understand how STEM occupations are such high-demand, high-paying positions. Unfortunately, however, diversity is a significant issue here.  

• The Pew Research Center noted how women account for the majority of healthcare practitioners and technicians but are underrepresented across many other STEM fields, especially in computer jobs and engineering. Black and Hispanic workers are also underrepresented in the STEM workforce.
• In the International Journal of STEM Education, authors noted how women are significantly underrepresented in STEM occupations. They make up less than a quarter of those working in STEM occupations and for women of color, representation is much lower — Hispanic, Asian and Black women receive less than 5% of STEM bachelor’s degrees in the U.S. Authors also pointed out how people of color overall are underrepresented in U.S.-based STEM leadership positions across industry, academia and the federal workforce.  

These issues are troubling when you consider how it undermines students’ opportunities to pursue high-demand, high-paying roles. Yet, it’s more than that. STEM education is about a teaching philosophy that naturally integrates critical thinking and language skills in a way that enriches any subject. Perhaps you’ve experienced or can imagine an education that integrates problem solving and engineering practices into any subject, where technology is seamlessly integrated throughout. Any subject—art, language, social studies, health—can benefit.  

So when students don’t receive an effective STEM education, they’re not only receiving less instruction in STEM subjects. They miss out on the universal application that high-level skills in STEM subjects can bring.  

How You Can Make a Difference

Take the opportunity to encourage young minds in STEM education. Whether that means volunteering a little bit of your time at a local school or finding age-appropriate STEM literature and activities for your children, you can have an impact.  

You can also consider pursuing a career or enhancing your career as a teacher or leader in STEM education, which represents a major problem right now in education. Researchers in Economic Development Quarterly noted how the current shortage of teachers in the U.S. is “ especially acute ” among STEM educators.  

In just five courses, you can earn an online graduate certificate in STEM education and learn how you can increase STEM literacy through formal and informal learning opportunities across a variety of settings. Or there’s the 100% online M.A. in Education with a Concentration in STEM Education , which helps you to be a leader in STEM education. You’ll be prepared for advancement in roles across public and private schools, community-based organizations, research, nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations.  

UTEP’s programs are focused on preparing today and tomorrow’s educators for working with modern students in multicultural settings who need to find motivation and engagement in their learning. And again, this is especially important. A study in Education Journal found that while students of all races enter into STEM majors at equal rates, minority students leave their major at nearly twice the rate of white students.  

UTEP is one of only 17 Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the country to be designated as an R1 top tier research university. Interested in learning more about how you can engage and inspire students in STEM education? You can discuss that and more with a one-on-one consultation with an enrollment counselor.

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Understanding Science

How science REALLY works...

• Understanding Science 101
• Scientific findings frequently benefit society through technological and other innovations.
• Technological innovations may lead to new scientific breakthroughs.
• Some scientists are motivated by potential applications of their research.

Benefits of science

The process of science is a way of building knowledge about the universe — constructing new ideas that illuminate the world around us. Those ideas are inherently tentative, but as they cycle through the process of science again and again and are tested and retested in different ways, we become increasingly confident in them. Furthermore, through this same iterative process, ideas are modified, expanded, and combined into more powerful explanations. For example, a few observations about inheritance patterns in garden peas can — over many years and through the work of many different scientists — be built into the broad understanding of genetics offered by science today. So although the process of science is iterative, ideas do not churn through it repetitively. Instead, the cycle actively serves to construct and integrate scientific knowledge.

And that knowledge is useful for all sorts of things: designing bridges, slowing climate change, and prompting frequent hand washing during flu season. Scientific knowledge allows us to develop new technologies , solve practical problems, and make informed decisions — both individually and collectively. Because its products are so useful, the process of science is intertwined with those applications:

• New scientific knowledge may lead to new applications. For example, the discovery of the structure of DNA was a fundamental breakthrough in biology. It formed the underpinnings of research that would ultimately lead to a wide variety of practical applications, including DNA fingerprinting, genetically engineered crops, and tests for genetic diseases.
• New technological advances may lead to new scientific discoveries. For example, developing DNA copying and sequencing technologies has led to important breakthroughs in many areas of biology, especially in the reconstruction of the evolutionary relationships among organisms.
• Potential applications may motivate scientific investigations. For example, the possibility of engineering microorganisms to cheaply produce drugs for diseases like malaria motivates many researchers in the field to continue their studies of microbe genetics.

The process of science and you

This flowchart represents the process of formal science, but in fact, many aspects of this process are relevant to everyone and can be used in your everyday life. Sure, some elements of the process really only apply to formal science (e.g., publication, feedback from the scientific community), but others are widely applicable to everyday situations (e.g., asking questions, gathering evidence, solving practical problems). Understanding the process of science can help anyone develop a scientific outlook on life.

• Take a sidetrip

To find out how to develop a scientific outlook, visit  A scientific approach to life: A science toolkit .

• Science in action
• Teaching resources

Scientific results regularly make their way into our everyday lives. Follow scientific ideas from lab bench to application:

• The structure of DNA: Cooperation and competition
• Ozone depletion: Uncovering the hidden hazard of hairspray

Want to learn even more about the relationship between science and its applications? Jump ahead to these units:

• Science and society
• What has science done for you lately?
• Use our  web interactive  to help students document and reflect on the process of science.
• Learn strategies for building lessons and activities around the Science Flowchart: Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12 Grades 13-16
• Find lesson plans for introducing the Science Flowchart to your students in: Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-16
• Get  graphics and pdfs of the Science Flowchart  to use in your classroom. Translations are available in Spanish, French, Japanese, and Swahili.

Copycats in science: The role of replication

Science at multiple levels

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1 The Reasons We Teach Science

• Published: January 2023
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This chapter describes the primary reasons we have historically taught science in school. These are science education for culture, better thinking, utility, and democratic decision-making. The utility argument has three versions—science education for personal utility (that is, learning science to solve everyday personal problems, like repairing a broken lamp), national security (that is, science for weapons development and defense technology), and economic growth (science for technological and industrial innovation). All of these are typically divided into two categories: science education for technical training (that is, preparing future scientists and technical workers) and science education for general education (that is, science for the citizen.)

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• School Education /

Essay on Science: Sample for Students in 100,200 Words

• Updated on  
• Oct 28, 2023

Science, the relentless pursuit of knowledge and understanding, has ignited the flames of human progress for centuries. It’s a beacon guiding us through the uncharted realms of the universe, unlocking secrets that shape our world. In this blog, we embark on an exhilarating journey through the wonders of science. We’ll explore the essence of science and its profound impact on our lives. With this we will also provide you with sample essay on science in 100 and 200 words.

Must Read: Essay On Internet   

What Is Science?

Science is a systematic pursuit of knowledge about the natural world through observation, experimentation, and analysis. It aims to understand the underlying principles governing the universe, from the smallest particles to the vast cosmos. Science plays a crucial role in advancing technology, improving our understanding of life and the environment, and driving innovation for a better future.

Branches Of Science

The major branches of science can be categorized into the following:

• Physical Science: This includes physics and chemistry, which study the fundamental properties of matter and energy.
• Biological Science : Also known as life sciences, it encompasses biology, genetics, and ecology, focusing on living organisms and their interactions.
• Earth Science: Geology, meteorology, and oceanography fall under this category, investigating the Earth’s processes, climate, and natural resources.
• Astronomy : The study of celestial objects, space, and the universe, including astrophysics and cosmology.
• Environmental Science : Concentrating on environmental issues, it combines aspects of biology, chemistry, and Earth science to address concerns like climate change and conservation. 
• Social Sciences : This diverse field covers anthropology, psychology, sociology, and economics, examining human behavior, society, and culture.  
• Computer Science : Focused on algorithms, data structures, and computing technology, it drives advancements in information technology. 
• Mathematics : A foundational discipline, it underpins all sciences, providing the language and tools for scientific analysis and modeling.  

Wonders Of Science

Science has numerous applications that profoundly impact our lives and society: Major applications of science are stated below:

• Medicine: Scientific research leads to the development of vaccines, medicines, and medical technologies, improving healthcare and saving lives.
• Technology: Science drives technological innovations, from smartphones to space exploration.
• Energy: Advances in physics and chemistry enable the development of renewable energy sources, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
• Agriculture: Biology and genetics improve crop yields, while chemistry produces fertilizers and pesticides.
• Environmental Conservation : Scientific understanding informs efforts to protect ecosystems and combat climate change.
• Transportation : Physics and engineering create efficient and sustainable transportation systems.
• Communication : Physics and computer science underpin global communication networks.
• Space Exploration : Astronomy and physics facilitate space missions, expanding our understanding of the cosmos.

Must Read: Essay On Scientific Discoveries  

Sample Essay On Science in 100 words

Science, the bedrock of human progress, unveils the mysteries of our universe through empirical investigation and reason. Its profound impact permeates every facet of modern life. In medicine, it saves countless lives with breakthroughs in treatments and vaccines. Technology, a child of science, empowers communication and innovation. Agriculture evolves with scientific methods, ensuring food security. Environmental science guides conservation efforts, preserving our planet. Space exploration fuels dreams of interstellar travel.

Yet, science requires responsibility, as unchecked advancement can harm nature and society. Ethical dilemmas arise, necessitating careful consideration. Science, a double-edged sword, holds the potential for both salvation and destruction, making it imperative to harness its power wisely for the betterment of humanity.

Sample Essay On Science in 250 words

Science, often regarded as humanity’s greatest intellectual endeavor, plays an indispensable role in shaping our world and advancing our civilization.

At its core, science is a methodical pursuit of knowledge about the natural world. Through systematic observation, experimentation, and analysis, it seeks to uncover the underlying principles that govern our universe. This process has yielded profound insights into the workings of the cosmos, from the subatomic realm to the vastness of space.

One of the most remarkable contributions of science is to the field of medicine. Through relentless research and experimentation, scientists have discovered vaccines, antibiotics, and groundbreaking treatments for diseases that once claimed countless lives. 

Furthermore, science has driven technological advancements that have reshaped society. The rapid progress in computing, for instance, has revolutionized communication, industry, and research. From the ubiquitous smartphones in our pockets to the complex algorithms that power our digital lives, science, and technology are inseparable partners in progress.

Environmental conservation is another critical arena where science is a guiding light. Climate change, a global challenge, is addressed through rigorous scientific study and the development of sustainable practices. Science empowers us to understand the impact of human activities on our planet and to make informed decisions to protect it.

In conclusion, science is not just a field of study; it is a driving force behind human progress. As we continue to explore the frontiers of knowledge, science will remain the beacon guiding us toward a brighter future.

Science is a boon due to innovations, medical advancements, and a deeper understanding of nature, improving human lives exponentially.

Galileo Galilei is known as the Father of Science.

Science can’t address questions about personal beliefs, emotions, ethics, or matters of subjective experience beyond empirical observation and measurement.

We hope this blog gave you an idea about how to write and present an essay on science that puts forth your opinions. The skill of writing an essay comes in handy when appearing for standardized language tests. Thinking of taking one soon? Leverage Edu provides the best online test prep for the same via Leverage Live . Register today to know more!

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Science benefiting society: the role of the right to science

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The expansion of scientific knowledge has led to breakthroughs on some key challenges and to important societal evolutions. Yet, science’s full potential will remain untapped unless there is a steadfast commitment to a human rights-based approach, with the right to science at the centre. Currently, this right to science is being undermined by two worrisome trends: the persisting inequalities of access to scientific knowledge and the applications of scientific progress; and the vicious circle of erosion of trust in science and infringements on scientific freedom and the safety of scientists.

How protecting the right to science can benefit society was the subject of the fifth UNESCO Chairs Seminar. The debate took place against the backdrop of commemorations of the 75th anniversary of the  Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), celebrated throughout 2023, in which the right to science is enshrined in Article 27. This right is also reinforced in another of the foundational documents of the international human rights, the  1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR, article 15).

Ângela Melo, Director of the UNESCO Division for Research, Ethics and Inclusion, Social and Human Sciences Sector, opened the debate by underscoring that the right to science still needs to earn an equal place along with other rights: a point further reinforced by subsequent panelists who lamented that political and civil rights are still prioritised over economic, social and cultural rights. Since the 1990s, she highlighted, UNESCO has been working to strengthen the foundations of this right. Among others, she highlighted the  2017 UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers and the  2021 Recommendation on Open Science . Recently, the Organization has collaborated with researchers to develop  policy briefs on the right to science and a  massive open online course (MOOC) on science and human rights – the first educational content of its kind.

Waking the “sleeping beauty”

It is time to translate rights into obligations as regards this right, opined Monika Plozza, Research Associate and PhD Candidate at the University of Lucerne, Advisor on the Human Right to Science for the Geneva Science Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA), Switzerland. She highlighted that article 15 of the ICESCR was flexibly worded to evolve (as with many human rights instruments) and that “benefits” and “applications” are broad terms. In her opinion, recent developments meant that the right to science was about to exit its “sleeping beauty state”, thanks to the  2020 General Comment of The Committee for Economic Social and Cultural Rights , which elaborated on how Article 15 can become effective. However, whilst this general comment should be seen as a catalyst, according to Plozza, state-led pathways under the UN auspices were still to be employed, including the Universal Periodic Review , as well as monitoring before UN human rights treaty bodies.

The second speaker, Helle Porsdam, Professor of History and Cultural Rights, UNESCO Chair in Cultural Rights, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, drew attention to the nature of the right to science as a cultural right. At a very minimum, Article 15 entails: the protection of researchers from undue influence on their independent judgement; that researchers can define the main aims of their research and methodologies; the freedom to question the ethical value of and the right to withdraw from projects if researchers’ consciences so dictate; the right to collaborate with other researchers; and the sharing of scientific data and analysis amongst researchers, with policy-makers and the public. She also acknowledged that there is a tension between the right of citizens to participate in science and the freedom of researchers – posing the society-wide question of where the line should be drawn and which should be the defining considerations.

Democratic participation: key to the right to science

Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, Researcher at the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina addressed the democratic participation in science. He drew attention to at least two areas in which scientific freedom is linked to participation. The first is how the benefits of scientific progress are distributed. Open parliamentary discussions with greater citizen involvement lead to stronger knowledge and transparent decision-making, which in turn raise the degree of trust in ensuing policies. The other area is how scientists participate in public discussions. Research on COVID-19 response committees found that economists, sociologists, anthropologists, lawyers and human rights scholars were largely absent from the composition of those bodies to the benefit of experts from biomedical and public health fields - resulting in a narrow public policy response. Furthermore, these committees were not independent from government and their discussions not made public.

The rich discussion with participants, moderated by Konstantinos Tararas, Programme Specialist for the Section for Inclusion, Rights and Intercultural Dialogue, highlighted examples of co-creation of knowledge with local communities through a rights-based approach, as well as surfacing issues such as artificial intelligence, scientific literacy, traditional knowledge, intellectual property and ethics. Speakers further touched on the need for transdisciplinary approaches for robust science policymaking, as well as the need for the academy to better communicate findings with the public, particularly in current times of populism and anti-expert sentiment. Challenges – such as the anti-vax movement and contrarians to climate change – call for scaling up efforts. The teaching of human rights, including the right to science whose existence is insufficiently known, underpins this work. Informing future scholars will help them defend their own academic freedom and be able to better disseminate science, as a human right. 

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Essay on Science for Students and Children

500+ words essay on science.

Essay on science:  As we look back in our ancient times we see so much development in the world. The world is full of gadgets and machinery . Machinery does everything in our surroundings. How did it get possible? How did we become so modern? It was all possible with the help of science. Science has played a major role in the development of our society. Furthermore, Science has made our lives easier and carefree.

Science in our Daily Lives

As I have mentioned earlier Science has got many changes in our lives. First of all, transportation is easier now. With the help of Science it now easier to travel long distances . Moreover, the time of traveling is also reduced. Various high-speed vehicles are available these days. These vehicles have totally changed. The phase of our society. Science upgraded steam engines to electric engines. In earlier times people were traveling with cycles. But now everybody travels on motorcycles and cars. This saves time and effort. And this is all possible with the help of Science.

Secondly, Science made us reach to the moon. But we never stopped there. It also gave us a glance at Mars. This is one of the greatest achievements. This was only possible with Science. These days Scientists make many satellites . Because of which we are using high-speed Internet. These satellites revolve around the earth every day and night. Even without making us aware of it. Science is the backbone of our society. Science gave us so much in our present time. Due to this, the teacher in our schools teaches Science from an early age.

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Science as a Subject

In class 1 only a student has Science as a subject. This only tells us about the importance of Science. Science taught us about Our Solar System. The Solar System consists of 9 planets and the Sun. Most Noteworthy was that it also tells us about the origin of our planet. Above all, we cannot deny that Science helps us in shaping our future. But not only it tells us about our future, but it also tells us about our past.

When the student reaches class 6, Science gets divided into three more subcategories. These subcategories were Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. First of all, Physics taught us about the machines. Physics is an interesting subject. It is a logical subject.

Furthermore, the second subject was Chemistry . Chemistry is a subject that deals with an element found inside the earth. Even more, it helps in making various products. Products like medicine and cosmetics etc. result in human benefits.

Last but not least, the subject of Biology . Biology is a subject that teaches us about our Human body. It tells us about its various parts. Furthermore, it even teaches the students about cells. Cells are present in human blood. Science is so advanced that it did let us know even that.

Leading Scientists in the field of Science

Finally, many scientists like Thomas Edison , Sir Isaac Newton were born in this world. They have done great Inventions. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. If he did not invent that we would stay in dark. Because of this Thomas Edison’s name marks in history.

Another famous Scientist was Sir Isaac Newton . Sir Isaac Newton told us about Gravity. With the help of this, we were able to discover many other theories.

In India Scientists A..P.J Abdul was there. He contributed much towards our space research and defense forces. He made many advanced missiles. These Scientists did great work and we will always remember them.

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Importance of Science Essay in English

A purely literary education does not make a man really educated in the true sense of the word. Knowledge of science is essential to understand life and its secrets. Under the British rule Indians were educated only to serve as clerks or interpreters between the rulers and the ruled.

The present age is an age of science. Any country that lags behind in the study and application of scientific knowledge cannot hold its own in the fast developing competitive world. America, Russia and some West European countries are far advanced in science and, therefore, are more powerful and are held in high esteem in the world.

Unless the latest scientific methods of production are adopted, their food production cannot cope with the growth of their population. India is an agriculture country. She has brought about recently a green revolution by conducting scientific implements. chemical manure and first class seeds Formerly she had to depend upon imported food grains worth millions of Rupees.

Literature and art have their own merits. They make a man cultured and enlightened. But mere culture cannot solve our problem of bread and butter, Science is also a part of our culture and fits us for the struggle of existence.

It makes life more interesting, comfortable and easy. It adds to our knowledge and makes us powerful. A nation which has a large number of scientists and engineers is bound to prosper in the world.

The study of science is important in yet another way. It makes us practical and methodical, rational and realistic. Scientific training is essential for a real and full treatment of any subject. Without a scientific approach, no justice today can be done to any branch of learning. It is the scientific method which makes us objective and impartial.

The study of both science and literature is essential. Science appeals to reason, while literature to emotions. They are complementary. Both make life complete and perfect.

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June 18, 2024

We Should Engineer Better Learning in Our Schools

Students should learn about both the natural world and human-made—or engineered—one we live in

By Christine M. Cunningham

Karetoria/Getty Images

Across the country, schools are grappling with academic fallout from the pandemic . Math and reading scores have plunged , while abseentism has skyrocketed . Covid exacerbated inequities and created new dilemmas. As a lifelong advocate for getting engineering education into schools, I wrestle with this crisis daily. More of the same—routine, textbook-based instruction—isn’t the solution we need. But moving engineering into the school day just might be.

Despite big tech’s ubiquity, U.S. students get very little engineering instruction . It isn’t in most schools’ core curriculum, and teachers face a lack of educational opportunities , even when they want to address the problem. My colleagues at the Museum of Science, Boston, and I have been working to change this by creating high-quality curricula for the last two decades, first through our pioneering Engineering is Elementary (EiE) program, which covers pre-K through eighth grade, and now through our freely accessible Youth Engineering Solutions (YES) . We have seen firsthand how approaches like these improve student outcomes.

Massachusetts led the nation in introducing engineering in its K–12 science standards as early as 2001, informing science standards adopted by other states. Now, a new science framework for “the Nation’s Report Card”—the only nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in half a dozen subjects—includes engineering for the first time. The nonpartisan National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees the Nation’s Report Card, developed the framework that will govern the content of science assessments from 2028 onward.

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In East Boston, the Bradley School has embraced engineering since 2018. From kindergarten onward, students participate in an innovative engineering-based class that engages them in designing technologies such as shoes at least twice a week. School leaders say this has profoundly improved student motivation and success, including a nine-point increase in students’ science scores on the state end-of-year test, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) .

But this practice is not yet common enough. All too often, the “E” in STEM—“Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics”—is missing in K–12 education, particularly in the early grades.

It’s a missed opportunity. Across 604 classrooms in three states, a randomized controlled trial published in 2020 showed that careful integration of EiE engineering and science into lessons improved outcomes in both. When our “Now You’re Cooking” lesson invites kids to design their own solar ovens, for example, they explore the concept of thermal energy transfer while investigating the properties of material insulators and their environmental impacts. It’s an engaging way to teach science, math, engineering, reading and writing in one fell swoop.

Students should learn about both the natural scientific and human-made—or engineered—world we live in, after all, and not only because engineering and technical jobs are expected to grow at faster rates than most other occupations according to federal projections . We live in an engineered world, where young people must make smart, informed choices about technology and its consequences.

Learning engineering fosters children’s growth and potential to solve problems (not to mention teaching them persistence, a necessary part of the systematic, iterative process of engineering). In another YES unit we developed, students observe and record plastic debris around their schools, considering its impact on the environment. They then set about designing, testing and gradually improving technology to remove it. Students are most enthusiastic about projects that are relevant to their lives and communities, and open-ended like these. Such traits are inherent to engineering design challenges.

Not everyone realizes just how useful engineering instruction can be for teaching kids how to collaborate with others—so-called “ soft skills .” One of my favorite YES lessons asks kindergarteners to come up with a shared design for a sun hat, which will shade parts of their head—face, ears or neck—from the sun’s rays. It's not just the cuteness factor that makes this so much fun to observe. The students work in pairs. They must consider their own needs and those of others, fostering empathy and compromise.

With its hands-on approach and call for diverse perspectives, engineering can create more equitable learning. We’ve witnessed how engineering challenges disrupt unequal classroom dynamics. In a 2014 study, a much more diverse range of students self-identified as “smart” (or identified a more diverse set of their peers as “smart”) in engineering classrooms than in traditional classrooms. Another study found that teachers who provide students with engineering instruction are more likely than their peers to recommend underrepresented students for gifted and talented programs.

Integrating engineering instruction into other courses might just be the solution we need to our pandemic-related academic problems. Engineering increases student engagement and improves learning in science, math and literacy. It builds the kind of skills all children need—the ability to collaborate, think critically, problem solve and reflect on and improve upon their work. It offers ample opportunities for students to thrive.

Most teachers don’t receive the time, resources or professional learning needed to provide engineering instruction to their students. We must change that in order to make robust engineering a reality across K–12 classrooms. Providing free tools is a great start, but it is not enough on its own. In supporting educators to teach engineering, we provide youth with new ways of learning that nurture their ability to understand the world around them. We empower them to solve problems that affect themselves and their communities. And we prepare them to solve our society’s most pressing and complex problems. The status quo in education isn’t working. We can and should engineer better outcomes for our children.

This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

Scientific Essay on Healthcare

• Health Science

Joe Giove originally planned to work in medicine. However, after receiving his bachelor’s in biology from Lee University and working at the National Cancer Institute, he discovered the world of finance and administration. He quickly shifted focus, earning his master’s in computer systems management from the University of Maryland, followed by an executive certificate in public policy from Harvard University.

Soon, Giove found himself working for the Department of Energy (DOE) managing projects and budgets.

Joe Giove is a mentor with the DOE, where he puts himself front and center as an inspiring source of counsel for students learning about finance and business in STEM. (Photo Credit: Department of Energy)

Solving problems with spreadsheets is fun, says Giove, and his ability to problem solve as thoroughly as he does today can be partially credited to the mentors who have inspired him during the journey.

“Without those mentors, I would not be in the position that I am today,” he explained. “What it meant to me was that I was not alone and when I got stuck there was someone who I could ask for assistance and seek counsel from.”

In 2010, he began managing DOE’s Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship program (MLEF) . Then, the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) began administrating MLEF for DOE, and Giove was more than thrilled.

“We heard very good things about ORISE and we were not disappointed when they began to assist us with running our internship program. We really enjoy the people and the partnership that we have formed with ORISE.”

MLEF provides students with fellowship opportunities to gain hands-on research experience with the DOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) . The program’s mission is to strengthen and increase the pipeline of diverse future science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM) professionals.

In my estimation, the way to change the world is to step forward and volunteer to help as many as you can.

For the past 13 years, Giove has been a proud mentor for the MLEF program, voluntarily giving his time and expertise to participants seeking a guiding hand. He made the decision to become a mentor partially as a way to thank everyone who has helped and inspired him throughout his education and career. He is also proud to push for diversity and diversity of thought with his mentees.

Giove is the director of business operations for DOE’s Office of Carbon Management, but this does not impede his ability to shape mentees’ minds. As a mentor, he focuses on teaching project management, particularly in business ventures, such as how to form a limited liability company and when to seek financing. The nuances of teaching financing fluctuate as technology, business and economics change over the years. However, the importance of project management is always a crucial one to STEM, as budgeting and funding plays a large role in science and laboratory operations.

Giove notes that most days his mentees research independently, as independent success is a part of his teaching style. As they study and compile information for their projects, Giove is there when they need advice or get stuck. Each day is unique, and he is always there to set up meetings, to review mentee research and problem solve.

“The most important thing is that you are there and present and available when you are needed and the rest of the time you focus on your day job,” said Giove. “In my estimation, the way to change the world is to step forward and volunteer to help as many as you can. If everyone does the same and plays their part, then collectively we can make a great impact in helping future generations.”

Ultimately, Giove sees the DOE’s MLEF program as a worthwhile endeavor which benefits both the mentors and the students. He encourages other established scientists to become mentors as it is “time well spent.”

Outside of his position at the DOE and MLEF, Giove enjoys basketball and is a father to two sons and a daughter who follow his love of sports. Additionally, he is active in his local Christian church where he is the chair of their financial advisory committee.

Giove brings his passion and expertise to all parts of his life and is eager to continue shaping how STEM students view finance and administration.

The MLEF Program is administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) for the U.S. Department of Energy. ORISE is managed for DOE by ORAU.

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Health Lesson: Learning About Bones

Information on this page is mapped to national science and health education standards and is for students in grades 4 through 6 who are learning about the human body. Teachers may also use these resources to inform their lesson plans.

On This Page

• For Students : Find all classroom materials and activities about bones
• Kahoot! Quiz : Test your knowledge about muscles on your own or as a class!
• Vocabulary : See all of the medical terms in this lesson defined
• Teacher's Corner : See the National Education Standards covered in these lessons

For Students

What would your body be like without bones ? Bones give your body shape, help you move, protect your organs, and more! On this page, you can learn about bones, what happens when they get hurt, and how to keep them healthy.

What are bones?

Bones are the tissues —groups of cells that work together—that make up your skeleton. Bones might remind you of dead things or fossils, but the bones in your body are alive. They grow and change all the time!

Bones keep your body healthy in many ways. They:

• Support and hold up your body . Without bones your body would be a squishy blob on the ground.
• Help you move . Muscles work together with bones to move your body around.
• Protect your organs . Some bones shield your organs from injury. For example, your ribs protect your heart and lungs, and your skull protects your brain.
• Make blood cells . Some types of bone have a jelly-like material inside called bone marrow (MEH-row) . New blood cells are made inside the bone marrow!
• Store energy . Some types of bone, like the leg bones, contain cells that store fat and release it when your body needs energy.
• Store minerals and vitamin D . Bones can store minerals like calcium and phosphorus, and vitamin D, and release them when your body needs them.  

What are bones made of?

Bones are made mostly of a protein called collagen (KAA-luh-jn) and a mineral called calcium phosphate (KAL-see-uhm FAA-sfayt) . Together, these materials make your bones strong and flexible.

Bones have three layers:

• The periosteum (peh-ree-ow-STEE-uhm) is a thin membrane covering the bone that contains nerves and blood vessels.
• Compact bone is the dense and hard outer layer of the bone that you see when you look at a skeleton.
• Cancellous (KAN-suh-luhs) bone is inside the compact bone. It is full of holes and looks a little like a sponge. Bone marrow fills in the holes of the sponge.

Bones are held together at the joints by ligaments (LI-guh-muhnts) , a type of tissue that is like a strong rubber band. Learn more about joints , which are made up of ligaments and other types of tissue.

Try this experiment at home to learn what makes bones strong and flexible at the same time! Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water after touching the bones!

How do bones grow?

As you get older and grow taller, your bones grow, too! There are special zones of bones that grow with you called growth plates .

Did You Know?

A baby is born with about 300 bones. Many of them eventually fuse (grow together) to form the 206 bones that adults have.

Bone tissue is constantly changing in a process called remodeling . All the time, old or damaged bone tissue is broken down, and new bone tissue is made to replace it. When you’re young, new bone is made faster than old bone is broken down, which means that your bones get denser and stronger. In most people, the amount of bone tissue in the skeleton peaks by their mid- to late 20s.

• The bone cells that break down old bone are called osteoclasts (AA-stee-uh-klasts) .
• The bone cells that make new bone are called osteoblasts (AA-stee-uh-blasts) .

As you age, old bone tissue is broken down faster than new bone is made. For some people, the bones become weaker and easier to break. This condition is called osteoporosis (aa-stee-ow-opr-OW-suhs) .

Doctors have special names for the ways bones can break. Learn about the different types of fractures with this activity !

What happens when bones break?

Broken bones are also called fractures (FRAK-chrz) . The break can go through only part of the bone or completely through it.

It hurts to break a bone! There might also be swelling and bruising. If you are injured and go to the doctor, the doctor may take pictures of your bone with x-rays to see if it is broken. If you do have a broken bone, the doctor may put on a cast, splint, or brace to keep the bone from moving around as it heals, and to make sure it heals correctly. Sometimes, bones move so much when they break that the doctor has to “set the bone”—put it back in the right place before putting a cast, splint, or brace on it.

How much force does it take to break a bone? Try this experiment at home with chicken bones to find out!

Most broken bones heal within a few months. First, your body forms a blood clot around the break to protect it and deliver the cells that will heal it. Next, a healing zone called a callus (KA-luhs) forms around the break. It joins the bones together. At first, the callus is soft, but it gets harder and stronger as the bone heals.

What is scoliosis ?

Your backbone, also called your spine, is actually made of many small bones called vertebrae (VUR-tuh-bray) that form a line. Scoliosis (skow-lee-OW-suhs) happens when the spine bones are curved instead of being straight.

Most of the time, people get scoliosis as pre-teens or teenagers. By going to the doctor and getting treated when needed, people with scoliosis can have healthy, active lives.

Small curves usually don’t cause problems. If a doctor notices you have a curved spine, they may just check it every once in a while, to make sure the curve doesn’t get worse. Really big curves or small curves that get worse can cause health problems. In these cases, doctors treat scoliosis with a back brace or surgery.

Doctors don’t know what causes scoliosis, but they do know that having a parent who had scoliosis makes it more likely that you will have it, too.

How can I help keep my bones healthy?

Avoid bone injuries..

Wear the right equipment to protect your bones. Always wear a helmet to protect your skull while biking, scootering, skateboarding, or skating. You can also wear elbow and knee pads to protect your arms and legs.

When playing sports like football, soccer, lacrosse, or ice hockey, always wear all the right equipment. Make sure the safety gear fits you, or else it might not do its job.

When you’re in the car, remember to buckle your seatbelt.

Get plenty of physical activity every day. Your bones respond to exercise by making new bone tissue, which helps keep them strong.

To keep bones healthy, do activities that put weight on your bones. Playing basketball, kickball, walking, jumping rope, and dancing are good examples.

Eat well to keep your bones healthy.

Calcium and vitamin D . Remember that bones are made of a mineral called calcium phosphate? To keep bones strong, you need to get that calcium from food or supplements . You can get calcium from milk, cheese, and yogurt. Leafy green vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, and kale are also important sources of calcium.

Vitamin D helps your body absorb the calcium in the foods you eat. You can get vitamin D from certain foods , like eggs, fish, and special types of orange juice, milk, and cereals that have vitamin D added to them.

Eat a balanced diet . Try to eat a combination of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy.  Eating a variety of foods and being active every day helps keep your body healthy and strong. While you need both muscle and fat for your body to work properly, in general, having more healthy muscle tissue helps keep your bones healthy.

Test your knowledge about bones with this Kahoot! quiz

This Kahoot! quiz tests your knowledge about bones and how to keep them healthy.

Check out our other webpages to learn about joints , muscles , and skin .

Bone marrow (MEH-row). A jelly-like material inside some types of bones. New blood cells are made inside the bone marrow.

Bone remodeling (ruh-MAA-duh-luhng). A process where old or damaged bone tissue is broken down, and new bone tissue is made to replace it.

Calcium phosphate (KAL-see-uhm FAA-sfayt). A mineral, along with a type of protein called collagen, that make up bones. Calcium phosphate helps make bones hard and strong.

Callus (KA-luhs). A healing zone that forms around a broken bone and helps join the bone pieces together.

Cancellous (KAN-suh-luhs) bone. The bone layer inside the compact bone. It is full of holes and looks a little like a sponge.

Cells. The smallest building blocks of life. Your body is made of trillions of cells!

Collagen (KAA-luh-jn). A type of protein, along with a mineral called calcium phosphate, that make up bones. Collagen helps make bones flexible and strong.

Compact (KUHM-pakt) bone. The smooth and hard outer layer of the bone that you see when you look at a skeleton.

Fractures (FRAK-chrz). Broken bones.

Growth plates. Special zones of bones that grow with you.

Ligaments (LI-guh-muhnts). Tissues that hold bones together.

Membrane. A thin sheet of tissue that acts as a boundary or lining.

Mineral. Solid substances made in nature, but not by living things, that can help your body grow and stay healthy.

Organ. A part of the body that has a specific job.

Osteoblasts (AA-stee-uh-blasts). The bone cells that make new bone.

Osteoclasts (AA-stee-uh-klasts). The bone cells that break down old bone.

Osteoporosis (aa-stee-ow-opr-OW-suhs). A condition that some people get when they age, where old bone tissue is broken down faster than new bone is made, which can make the bones weaker and easier to break.

Periosteum (peh-ree-ow-STEE-uhm). A thin membrane covering the bone, which contains nerves and blood vessels.

Proteins. Large chains of molecules made by living things and essential to life. There are many different types of proteins, and proteins do several different jobs. For example, they provide structure for the cell and can also help important chemical reactions happen in the body.

Scoliosis (skow-lee-OW-suhs). A condition that happens when the spine bones are curved instead of being straight.

Supplement. A substance that a person can add to their diet to make sure they get all the nutrients their body needs.

Tissues. Groups of cells that work together.

Vertebrae (VUR-tuh-bray). Small bones arranged in a line that form your backbone, also called your spine. 

Teacher’s Corner

The content on this NIAMS webpage aligns with the following national standards:

Next Generation Science Standards

• NGSS Standard 4-LS1-1 “Animals have internal and external structures that serve various functions in growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction.”
• NGSS MS-LS1-1 “All living things are made up of cells , which are the smallest units that can be said to be alive. An organism may consist of one single cell (unicellular) or many different numbers and types of cells (multicellular).”
• NGSS MS-LS1-3 “In multicellular organisms, the body is a system of multiple interacting subsystems. These subsystems are groups of cells that work together to form tissues and organs that are specialized for particular body functions.”

National Health Education Standards

• NHES 1.5.1 “Describe the relationship between healthy behaviors and personal health.”
• NHES 1.5.4 “Describe ways to prevent common childhood/adolescent injuries and health problems.”
• NHES 1.5.5 “Describe when it is important to seek health care.”

CDC Healthy Schools

• CDC Characteristics of an Effective Health Education Curriculum, Characteristic 4 : “Address social pressures and influences”

China has become a scientific superpower

From plant biology to superconductor physics the country is at the cutting edge.

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I n the atrium of a research building at the Chinese Academy of Sciences ( CAS ) in Beijing is a wall of patents. Around five metres wide and two storeys high, the wall displays 192 certificates, positioned in neat rows and tastefully lit from behind. At ground level, behind a velvet rope, an array of glass jars contain the innovations that the patents protect: seeds.

CAS —the world’s largest research organisation—and institutions around China produce a huge amount of research into the biology of food crops. In the past few years Chinese scientists have discovered a gene that, when removed, boosts the length and weight of wheat grains, another that improves the ability of crops like sorghum and millet to grow in salty soils and one that can increase the yield of maize by around 10%. In autumn last year, farmers in Guizhou completed the second harvest of genetically modified giant rice that was developed by scientists at CAS .

The Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) has made agricultural research—which it sees as key to ensuring the country’s food security —a priority for scientists. Over the past decade the quality and the quantity of crop research that China produces has grown immensely, and now the country is widely regarded as a leader in the field. According to an editor of a prestigious European plant-sciences journal, there are some months when half of the submissions can come from China.

A journey of a thousand miles

The rise of plant-science research is not unique in China. In 2019 The Economist surveyed the research landscape in the country and asked whether China could one day become a scientific superpower. Today, that question has been unequivocally answered: “yes”. Chinese scientists recently gained the edge in two closely watched measures of high-quality science, and the country’s growth in top-notch research shows no sign of slowing. The old science world order, dominated by America, Europe and Japan, is coming to an end.

One way to measure the quality of a country’s scientific research is to tally the number of high-impact papers produced each year—that is, publications that are cited most often by other scientists in their own, later work. In 2003 America produced 20 times more of these high-impact papers than China, according to data from Clarivate, a science analytics company (see chart 1). By 2013 America produced about four times the number of top papers and, in the most recent release of data, which examines papers from 2022, China had surpassed both America and the entire European Union ( EU ).

Metrics based on citations can be gamed, of course. Scientists can, and do, find ways to boost the number of times their paper is mentioned in other studies, and a recent working paper, by Qui Shumin, Claudia Steinwender and Pierre Azoulay, three economists, argues that Chinese researchers cite their compatriots far more than Western researchers do theirs. But China now leads the world on other benchmarks that are less prone to being gamed. It tops the Nature Index, created by the publisher of the same name, which counts the contributions to articles that appear in a set of prestigious journals. To be selected for publication, papers must be approved by a panel of peer reviewers who assess the study’s quality, novelty and potential for impact. When the index was first launched, in 2014, China came second, but its contribution to eligible papers was less than a third of America’s. By 2023 China had reached the top spot.

According to the Leiden Ranking of the volume of scientific research output, there are now six Chinese universities or institutions in the world top ten, and seven according to the Nature Index. They may not be household names in the West yet, but get used to hearing about Shanghai Jiao Tong, Zhejiang and Peking (Beida) Universities in the same breath as Cambridge, Harvard and ETH Zurich. “Tsinghua is now the number one science and technology university in the world,” says Simon Marginson, a professor of higher education at Oxford University. “That’s amazing. They’ve done that in a generation.”

Today China leads the world in the physical sciences, chemistry and Earth and environmental sciences, according to both the Nature Index and citation measures (see chart 2). But America and Europe still have substantial leads in both general biology and medical sciences. “Engineering is the ultimate Chinese discipline in the modern period,” says Professor Marginson, “I think that’s partly about military technology and partly because that’s what you need to develop a nation.”

Applied research is a Chinese strength. The country dominates publications on perovskite solar panels, for example, which offer the possibility of being far more efficient than conventional silicon cells at converting sunlight into electricity. Chinese chemists have developed a new way to extract hydrogen from seawater using a specialised membrane to separate out pure water, which can then be split by electrolysis. In May 2023 it was announced that the scientists, in collaboration with a state-owned Chinese energy company, had developed a pilot floating hydrogen farm off the country’s south-eastern coast.

China also now produces more patents than any other country, although many are for incremental tweaks to designs, as opposed to truly original inventions. New developments tend to spread and be adopted more slowly in China than in the West. But its strong industrial base, combined with cheap energy, means that it can quickly spin up large-scale production of physical innovations like materials. “That’s where China really has an advantage on Western countries,” says Jonathan Bean, CEO of Materials Nexus, a British firm that uses AI to discover new materials.

The country is also signalling its scientific prowess in more conspicuous ways. Earlier this month, China’s Chang’e-6 robotic spacecraft touched down in a gigantic crater on the far side of the Moon, scooped up some samples of rock, planted a Chinese flag and set off back towards Earth. If it successfully returns to Earth at the end of the month, it will be the first mission to bring back samples from this hard-to-reach side of the Moon.

First, sharpen your tools

The reshaping of Chinese science has been achieved by focusing on three areas: money, equipment and people. In real terms, China’s spending on research and development ( R & D ) has grown 16-fold since 2000. According to the most recent data from the OECD , from 2021, China still lagged behind America on overall R & D spending, dishing out $668bn, compared with $806bn for America at purchasing-power parity. But in terms of spending by universities and government institutions only, China has nudged ahead. In these places America still spends around 50% more on basic research, accounting for costs, but China is splashing the cash on applied research and experimental development (see chart 3).

Money is meticulously directed into strategic areas. In 2006 the CCP published its vision for how science should develop over the next 15 years. Blueprints for science have since been included in the CCP ’s five-year development plans. The current plan, published in 2021, aims to boost research in quantum technologies, AI , semiconductors, neuroscience, genetics and biotechnology, regenerative medicine, and exploration of “frontier areas” like deep space, deep oceans and Earth’s poles.

Creating world-class universities and government institutions has also been a part of China’s scientific development plan. Initiatives like “Project 211”, the “985 programme” and the “China Nine League” gave money to selected labs to develop their research capabilities. Universities paid staff bonuses—estimated at an average of $44,000 each, and up to a whopping $165,000—if they published in high-impact international journals.

Building the workforce has been a priority. Between 2000 and 2019, more than 6m Chinese students left the country to study abroad, according to China’s education ministry. In recent years they have flooded back, bringing their newly acquired skills and knowledge with them. Data from the OECD suggest that, since the late 2000s, more scientists have been returning to the country than leaving. China now employs more researchers than both America and the entire EU .

Many of China’s returning scientists, often referred to as “sea turtles” (a play on the Chinese homonym haigui , meaning “to return from abroad”) have been drawn home by incentives. One such programme launched in 2010, the “Youth Thousand Talents”, offered researchers under 40 one-off bonuses of up to 500,000 yuan (equivalent to roughly $150,000 at purchasing-power parity) and grants of up to 3m yuan to get labs up and running back home. And it worked. A study published in Science last year found that the scheme brought back high-calibre young researchers—they were, on average, in the most productive 15% of their peers (although the real superstar class tended to turn down offers). Within a few years, thanks to access to more resources and academic manpower, these returnees were lead scientists on 2.5 times more papers than equivalent researchers who had remained in America.

As well as pull, there has been a degree of push. Chinese scientists working abroad have been subject to increased suspicion in recent years. In 2018 America launched the China Initiative, a largely unsuccessful attempt to root out Chinese spies from industry and academia. There have also been reports of students being deported because of their association with China’s “military-civilian fusion strategy”. A recent survey of current and former Chinese students studying in America found that the share who had experienced racial abuse or discrimination was rising.

The availability of scientists in China means that, for example in quantum computing, some of the country’s academic labs are more like commercial labs in the West, in terms of scale. “They have research teams of 20, 30, even 40 people working on the same experiments, and they make really good progress,” says Christian Andersen, a quantum researcher at Delft University. In 2023 researchers working in China broke the record for the number of quantum bits, or qubits, entangled inside a quantum computer.

China has also splurged on scientific kit. In 2019, when The Economist last surveyed the state of the country’s scientific research, it already had an enviable inventory of flashy hardware including supercomputers, the world’s largest filled-aperture radio telescope and an underground dark-matter detector. The list has only grown since then. The country is now home to the world’s most sensitive ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray detector (which has recently been used to test aspects of Albert Einstein’s special theory of relativity), the world’s strongest steady-state magnetic field (which can probe the properties of materials) and soon will have one of the world’s most sensitive neutrino detectors (which will be used to work out which type of these fundamental subatomic particles has the highest mass). Europe and America have plenty of cool kit of their own, but China is rapidly adding hardware.

Individual labs in China’s top institutions are also well equipped. Niko McCarty, a journalist and former researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who was recently given a tour of synthetic biology labs in China, was struck by how, in academic institutions, “the machines are just more impressive and more expansive” than in America. At the Advanced Biofoundry at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, which the country hopes will be the centre of China’s answer to Silicon Valley, Mr McCarty described an “amazing building with four floors of robots”. As Chinese universities fill with state-of-the-art equipment and elite researchers, and salaries become increasingly competitive, Western institutions look less appealing to young and ambitious Chinese scientists. “Students in China don’t think about America as some “scientific Mecca” in the same way their advisers might have done,” said Mr McCarty.

Take AI , for example. In 2019 just 34% of Chinese students working in the field stayed in the country for graduate school or work. By 2022 that number was 58%, according to data from the AI talent tracker by MacroPolo, an American think-tank (in America the figure for 2022 was around 98%). China now contributes to around 40% of the world’s research papers on AI , compared with around 10% for America and 15% for the EU and Britain combined. One of the most highly cited research papers of all time, demonstrating how deep neural networks could be trained on image recognition, was written by AI researchers working in China, albeit for Microsoft, an American company. “China’s AI research is world-class,” said Zachary Arnold, an AI analyst at the Georgetown Centre for Emerging Security and Technology. “In areas like computer vision and robotics, they have a significant lead in research publications.”

Growth in the quality and quantity of Chinese science looks unlikely to stop anytime soon. Spending on science and technology research is still increasing—the government has announced a 10% increase in funding in 2024. And the country is training an enormous number of young scientists. In 2020 Chinese universities awarded 1.4m engineering degrees, seven times more than America did. China has now educated, at undergraduate level, 2.5 times more of the top-tier AI researchers than America has. And by 2025, Chinese universities are expected to produce nearly twice as many P h D graduates in science and technology as America.

To see further, ascend another floor

Although China is producing more top-tier work, it still produces a vast amount of lower-quality science too. On average, papers from China tend to have lower impact, as measured by citations, than those from America, Britain or the EU . And while the chosen few universities have advanced, mid-level universities have been left behind. China’s second-tier institutions still produce work that is of relatively poor quality compared with their equivalents in Europe or America. “While China has fantastic quality at the top level, it’s on a weak base,” explains Caroline Wagner, professor of science policy at Ohio State University.

When it comes to basic, curiosity-driven research (rather than applied) China is still playing catch-up—the country publishes far fewer papers than America in the two most prestigious science journals, Nature and Science . This may partly explain why China seems to punch below its weight in the discovery of completely new technologies. Basic research is particularly scant within Chinese companies, creating a gap between the scientists making discoveries and the industries that could end up using them. “For more original innovation, that might be a minus,” says Xu Xixiang, chief scientist at LONG i Green Energy Technology, a Chinese solar company.

Incentives to publish papers have created a market for fake scientific publications. A study published earlier this year in the journal Research Ethics , featured anonymous interviews from Chinese academics, one of whom said he had “no choice but to commit [research] misconduct”, to keep up with pressures to publish and retain his job. “Citation cartels” have emerged, where groups of researchers band together to write low-quality papers that cite each other’s work in an effort to drive up their metrics. In 2020 China’s science agencies announced that such cash-for-publication schemes should end and, in 2021, the country announced a nationwide review of research misconduct. That has led to improvements—the rate at which Chinese researchers cite themselves, for example, is falling, according to research published in 2023. And China’s middle-ranking universities are slowly catching up with their Western equivalents, too.

The areas where America and Europe still hold the lead are, therefore, unlikely to be safe for long. Biological and health sciences rely more heavily on deep subject-specific knowledge and have historically been harder for China to “bring back and accelerate”, says Tim Dafforn, a professor of biotechnology at University of Birmingham and former adviser to Britain’s department for business. But China’s profile is growing in these fields. Although America currently produces roughly four times more highly influential papers in clinical medicine, in many areas China is producing the most papers that cite this core research, a sign of developing interest that presages future expansion. “On the biology side, China is growing remarkably quickly,” says Jonathan Adams, chief scientist at the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate. “Its ability to switch focus into a new area is quite remarkable.”

The rise of Chinese science is a double-edged sword for Western governments. China’s science system is inextricably linked with its state and armed forces—many Chinese universities have labs explicitly working on defence and several have been accused of engaging in espionage or cyber-attacks. China has also been accused of intellectual-property theft and increasingly stringent regulations have made it more difficult for international collaborators to take data out of the country; notoriously, in 2019, the country cut off access to American-funded work on coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. There are also cases of Chinese researchers failing to adhere to the ethical standards expected by Western scientists.

Despite the concerns, Chinese collaborations are common for Western researchers. Roughly a third of papers on telecommunications by American authors involve Chinese collaborators. In imaging science, remote sensing, applied chemistry and geological engineering, the figures are between 25% and 30%. In Europe the numbers are lower, around 10%, but still significant. These partnerships are beneficial for both countries. China tends to collaborate more in areas where it is already strong like materials and physics. A preprint study, released last year, found that for AI research, having a co-author from America or China was equally beneficial to authors from the other country, conferring on average 75% more citations.

Several notable successes have come from working together, too. During the covid-19 pandemic a joint venture between Oxford University’s Engineering Department and the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research developed a rapid covid test that was used across British airports. In 2015 researchers at University of Cardiff and South China Agricultural University identified a gene that made bacteria resistant to the antibiotic colistin. Following this, China, the biggest consumer of the drug, banned its use in animal feed, and levels of colistin resistance in both animals and humans declined.

In America and Europe, political pressure is limiting collaborations with China. In March, America’s Science and Technology Agreement with China, which states that scientists from both countries can collaborate on topics of mutual benefit, was quietly renewed for a further six months. Although Beijing appears keen to renew the 45-year-old agreement, many Republicans fear that collaboration with China is helping the country achieve its national-security goals. In Europe, with the exception of environmental and climate projects, Chinese universities have been effectively barred from accessing funding through the Horizon programme, a huge European research initiative.

There are also concerns among scientists that China is turning inwards. The country has explicit aims to become self-reliant in many areas of science and technology and also shift away from international publications as a way of measuring research output. Many researchers cannot talk to the press—finding sources in China for this story was challenging. One Chinese plant scientist, who asked to remain anonymous, said that she had to seek permission a year in advance to attend overseas conferences. “It’s contradictory—on the one hand, they set restrictions so that scientists don’t have freedoms like being able to go abroad to communicate with their colleagues. But on the other hand, they don’t want China to fall behind.”

Live until old, learn until old

The overwhelming opinion of scientists in China and the West is that collaboration must continue or, better, increase. And there is room to do more. Though China’s science output has grown dramatically, the share that is conducted with international collaborators has remained stable at around 20%—Western scientists tend to have far more international collaborations. Western researchers could pay more attention to the newest science from China, too. Data from a study published last year in Nature Human Behaviour showed that, for work of equivalent quality, Chinese scientists cite Western papers far more than vice versa. Western scientists rarely visit, work or study in China, depriving them of opportunities to learn from Chinese colleagues in the way Chinese scientists have done so well in the West.

Closing the door to Chinese students and researchers wishing to come to Western labs would also be disastrous for Western science. Chinese researchers form the backbone of many departments in top American and European universities. In 2022 more of the top-tier AI researchers working in America hailed from China than from America. The West’s model of science currently depends on a huge number of students, often from overseas, to carry out most day-to-day research.

There is little to suggest that the Chinese scientific behemoth will not continue growing stronger. China’s ailing economy may eventually force the CCP to slow spending on research, and if the country were to become completely cut off from the Western science community its research would suffer. But neither of these looks imminent. In 2019 we also asked if research could flourish in an authoritarian system. Perhaps over time its limits will become clear. But for now, and at least for the hard sciences, the answer is that it can thrive. “I think it’d be very unwise to call limits on the Chinese miracle,” says Prof Marginson. “Because it has had no limits up until now.” ■

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This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Soaring dragons”

From the June 15th 2024 edition

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