Chapter-6 THE MAKING OF A SCIENTIST

1.How does one go about becoming a scientist, economist, historian, etc.? Does it just entail devouring tonnes of books on the subject? Does it require observation, thought, and experimentation?

Explanation:

A small part of learning is reading books on a variety of topics. A student has to work on strengthening their capacity for thought and observation. A person must have a keen mind and the willingness to investigate new ideas by carrying out practical experiments and working on relevant projects if they want to become a genius in a certain sector. One must put forth a lot of effort and not let minor setbacks get to them. A person needs to put in a lot of sweat and effort in any particular field of interest if they have the need to study and discover a new notion.


2.You must have read in your scientific textbooks about cells and DNA. Talk about Richard Ebright's work in the context of your studies. Which discipline would you like to work in and why, if you had the chance to work on projects and experiments like Richard Ebright?

Explanation:

The works of Richard Ebright were in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology. The scientific community has benefited from the study of cell structure, growth, and functions in various creatures thanks to his theory on the life of cells. Indirectly, it aids in the detection of pathogens and the understanding of how they develop within living things. With the use of the photographs and Ebright's research on insect hormones, he was able to solve a biological conundrum involving how the cell might "read" the design. it's DNA. DNA is the material found in a cell's nucleus that regulates heredity and transmits genetic information from one generation to the next. It establishes the cell's shape and purpose. I want to research many life-threatening diseases if I have the chance to work on projects and experiments like Richard Ebright did. By researching the DNA, I might discover effective treatments for fatal or protracted disorders.


3.First of all ,Children all throughout the world are curious about their surroundings. The start of the scientific investigation is the questions they pose. The following questions were submitted by kids in India and are taken from Professor Yash Pal and Dr. Rahul Pal's book, Discovering Questions (NCERT, 2006).

How does DNA fingerprinting work? What is it used for? How do you tell a honeybee's own honeycomb apart? Why does rain fall in drops? Can you respond to these inquiries? The answers provided in Discovered Questions by Professor Yash Pal and Dr. Rahul Pal can be found on page 75.

Explanation:

The life's blueprint is found in DNA. As a son or a daughter would always display a pattern that could be identified as coming from both parents, DNA fingerprinting is an effective forensic technique that aids in parentage identification. A single strand of hair or a little drop of blood can be used to identify genes. It is frequently utilised in criminal investigations to establish a murder suspect's guilt or innocence at the scene of the crime. Honeybees are highly intelligent insects with excellent navigational and spatial awareness. They possess warning substances that help other honeybees find their honeycomb by creating trails in the ground. Bees also possess a form of pictorial memory, a system for determining directions, and a method for calculating distance. As a result, are more likely to locate their own honeycombs. When the air is chilled below the dew point, vapour condenses to produce rain. Because a cloud cannot condense all of its vapour at once, it becomes a sizable pool of water. The majority of raindrops begin as small ice crystals that gradually pick up more moisture as they travel at lower altitudes before melting into water droplets and falling to Earth as rain.


4.You must have also had some unanswered questions regarding specific surroundings. Try to provide answers to these questions as you present them to your class.

Explanation:

The following are some intriguing issues that can be raised in class by students for discussion: 

Why do plants have a green colour? Why do stars twinkle at night and not during the day? How do they do it? Why do flowers and fruits fall to the ground? What source does a rainbow's colour come from? First of all How did Richard Ebright's life change as a result of reading a book? Answers to them- Richard Ebright was utterly obsessed with gathering various varieties of butterflies. Ebright had amassed all twenty-five varieties of butterflies in and around his hometown by the time he was in the second grade. That most likely would have signalled the end of his butterfly collection. Richard's interest in science was piqued when his mother gave him the children's book "The Adventures of Monarch X," which described the monarch butterfly's migration to Central America. After finishing the book, he became quite interested in following the butterfly's migration. Due to his intense interest, he worked on a number of further research and tests involving the monarch. butterflies. Richard Ebright's life was significantly changed as a result of the book, and he went on to become a well-known scientist.


5.How did his mother assist him?

Explanation:

Richard's mother was always supportive of his desire to study new things. She occasionally accompanied him on travels and purchased for him scientific tools including telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials, and other relevant equipment. She also tried to assist him in any way she could. She discovered new things for him to learn if he had nothing to do. She provided him with various direct and indirect benefits. She even sent him "The Journeys of Monarch X," a book that had a profound impact on Richard's life and inspired him to pursue a career in science. 


6.When Ebright doesn't take home any prizes at a science fair, what lesson does he learn?

Explanation:

Ebright submitted slides of frog tissues to a science fair where he displayed them under a microscope. He received no reward for his performance. He was aware that doing actual tests, rather than just creating a visually appealing exhibit, was necessary for him to succeed in a competition of this nature. After that, he began working on other projects and performing actual experiments. 


7.What research and development initiatives does he then pursue?

Explanation:

Ebright carried out numerous initiatives and experiments. He looked for the root of a viral illness that kills almost all monarch caterpillars every few years for his eighth-grade assignment. He believed that a beetle might be the disease's carrier. He began doing tests on the viceroy butterflies to demonstrate that they replicated monarch butterflies for the science fair project the next year. In addition, he investigated the monarch pupa's colourful spots and discovered an unidentified insect hormone, which indirectly inspired his novel theory on how cells read DNA and function. 


8.What characteristics are necessary to become a scientist?

Explanation:

A superior mind, curiosity, and the will to give one's all and succeed for the right reasons, according to the author, are the three main characteristics of a scientist. Richard Ebright excelled in school and was a skilled debater, public speaker, canoeist, and outdoor enthusiast in general. He was a skilled photographer as well, specialising in nature and scientific displays. He possessed all the traits required to succeed as a scientist, including a competitive personality and a curious intellect, which ultimately led him to develop his idea regarding the existence of cells.