[Phys-l] As the life sciences become ever more mathematical

[chuck britton <cvbritton@mac.com>]

What I write following Hugh's insightful comment is a JOKE. i.e. HUMEROUS
It is NO way intended as a put down of ANYone. OK?!?!?!


At 12:53 PM -0400 5/28/10, Hugh Haskell wrote:
> As the life sciences become ever more mathematical, I'm sure that
> this problem is only going to get worse.


In my early days of teaching physics in a somewhat advanced HS 
setting - I would wander down to the Bio Floor see what was 
happening. I'd ask a student gazing raptly thru the microscope what 
she was watching so intently.
"Look, these amoebas are dividing. That's how they multiply ya know!"
And the botanists tell us to divide our garden irises when they get 
crowded. It helps 'em multiply.

SO, with multiply and divide becoming  synonymous - I was no longer 
confused as to why the bio folks used so little math.


Also - when Noah set his animals loose after the flood - he told them 
to go forth and multiply.
In his daily wanderings he happened across two snakes who were 
totally sad, dejected and lonely among all the other delighted 
animals frolicking with their progeny.
Said Noah - " Why so glum and why no kids?"
Said the snakes - "You told us to multiply - but we're adders" 
	(drum riff please!)

Noah went away scratching his head - wondering how he had managed to 
find the only two literalist adders on the face of the earth.

Later he came across the same two snakes with a happy brood in tow.
Noah asked - "To what do we owe this good fortune??"
The adders replied - "We discovered logs ! ! !"

(This tale was told to me in the early days by a student at said 
school of science & math on a camping trip as he was holding two 
sticks, pounding out natural log rhythms by the campfire.)