Science for everyone (in English)

What is Science?

Science is like being a detective! It’s all about asking questions and finding answers about the world.

• Example: Why do stars twinkle? What makes plants grow?

• Scientists observe, experiment, and figure out the “why” and “how.”

Science helps us understand how the world works.

What is Engineering?

Engineering is about using science to solve problems and make things.

• Example: How can we build a bridge? How can we make a faster car?

• Engineers take ideas from science and turn them into real things.

Engineering is about creating and building.

The Difference:

• Science helps us understand.

• Engineering helps us create.

Together, they make our lives better and the world more exciting!

Yes, sometimes scientists use engineering to solve problems or make tools for their research. Science and engineering often go hand-in-hand, especially when scientists need to create something new to understand the world better. Here are a few examples:

• A computational biologist may create novel software to analyze biological data. This is science (understanding biological systems) and engineering (building the software).

• A virologist might design and build bioreactors to grow viruses for experiments. Here, engineering helps make the scientific experiments possible.

Is the Other Way True?

Can engineers do science? Absolutely! For example:

• A robotics engineer studying how animals move to design better robots is doing science to inspire their engineering.

• A materials engineer researching how certain materials behave under extreme conditions is doing science to improve their designs.

In Short: Scientists often use engineering to create tools for discovery, and engineers sometimes rely on science to innovate. The two fields overlap, making both more powerful!

Biological research is like exploring the amazing world of living things. Scientists study everything from tiny cells to giant ecosystems to understand life better. Here are some main categories of biological research:

1. Molecular Biology

This is the study of the tiniest parts of living things, like DNA, proteins, and molecules inside cells.

• Example: How does DNA decide what traits we have?

• Why it matters: Helps scientists cure genetic diseases or make better crops.

2. Microbiology

Microbiology is all about tiny creatures like bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

• Example: How does a virus cause illness?

• Why it matters: Helps make vaccines and antibiotics to protect us from diseases.

3. Computational Biology

This uses computers and math to analyze biological data.

• Example: Studying how genes interact or predicting how diseases spread.

• Why it matters: Speeds up discoveries in medicine, genetics, and more.

4. Ecology

Ecology is the study of how living things interact with each other and their environment.

• Example: How do animals and plants depend on each other in a forest?

• Why it matters: Helps protect nature and save endangered species.

5. Evolutionary Biology

This looks at how living things have changed over millions of years.

• Example: How did birds evolve from dinosaurs?

• Why it matters: Helps us understand the diversity of life on Earth.

6. Biotechnology

Biotechnology uses biology to create useful products.

• Example: Making pest-resistant crops or medicines like insulin.

• Why it matters: Improves healthcare, farming, and the environment.

7. Developmental Biology

This focuses on how living things grow and develop from a single cell.

• Example: How do embryos turn into fully formed animals?

• Why it matters: Helps us understand growth and solve problems like birth defects.

8. Systems Biology

This studies how all parts of a living thing work together, like a team.

• Example: How does the brain control the body?

• Why it matters: Helps us understand diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Biological research is exciting and helps solve big problems like curing diseases, saving the environment, and even creating new technology! It’s all about understanding life and making it better for everyone.

Inside our cells, there’s a special “doorway” called the nuclear pore complex (NPC) that acts like a gatekeeper, controlling what goes in and out of the nucleus. Attached to this doorway is a cage-like structure called the nuclear basket, which helps organize DNA and process mRNA, the cell’s instructions for making proteins. Scientists studied the nuclear basket in organisms like yeast, mice, and tiny protozoa using powerful microscopes and computational modeling. They discovered that the basket is made of special proteins called nucleoporins (Nups) and Mlp/Tpr proteins, which act like beams and anchors to give it structure. Computational tools helped build 3D models of the basket, showing how these proteins interact to make the basket stable. The models also revealed a special area where mRNA is prepared before leaving the nucleus. Around the basket, a “safe zone” helps organize DNA. The research combined experiments and computer simulations to uncover differences in basket design across species. By using these advanced techniques, scientists learned more about how cells stay organized and function properly. This combination of experiments and computational modeling is important for studying complex cell structures like the NPC!

Proteins are like tiny machines inside our bodies, and some of them are made of special shapes called coiled-coils, which look like ropes twisted together. These coiled-coils can work in two ways: side-by-side in the same direction (parallel) or opposite directions (antiparallel). Scientists wanted to figure out what makes these shapes strong and stable. They found that the center of the coil, called the hydrophobic core, is super important for keeping it together. To help study these coiled-coils, they built a computer tool called COCONUT. COCONUT uses smart computer models to predict how these coils will twist and connect. It can even tell which parts of the protein are most sensitive to changes. This helps scientists design new protein shapes for special jobs, like medicine or building tiny structures. COCONUT also helps find new ways proteins work together, even in unusual shapes. This computer tool is a big step in understanding and creating new protein machines!

Proteins are tiny building blocks inside our bodies that work together to do important jobs. Scientists want to know how proteins fit and work with each other, like puzzle pieces. To figure this out, they use computers to create 3D models of protein groups, called assemblies. There are three main ways to do this: copying known shapes (template-based), testing how proteins might fit (docking), and combining experiments with computer models (hybrid modeling). Computers help make guesses faster using special techniques like fast math tricks called Fourier transforms. Scientists also use powerful microscopes, like electron microscopes, to collect real data to improve these models. While it’s tricky to predict how flexible proteins move, new methods are helping solve bigger and more complex protein puzzles. These tools are getting so good that one day, scientists might be able to model whole organelles or even cells! This helps us understand how life works and how we can fix problems when it doesn’t. Computational modeling is like using super-smart computers to unlock the secrets of tiny biological machines!