From the water we drink to the devices we use, science is behind it all! Discover how it supports even the simplest parts of our everyday lives.
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08 Nov 2024
6 Min Read
Ruka Nakamatsu (Student Writer)
From the water we drink to the devices we use, science is behind it all! Discover how it supports even the simplest parts of our everyday lives.
Science is often seen as a distant subject, confined to laboratories and reduced to complicated equations. Yet, science is all around us—powering our homes, improving our health, and connecting us with the world. Whether it’s the water we drink, the meals we cook, or the technology we use, scientific discoveries and innovations have transformed the simplest aspects of everyday life.
You might remember doing a science experiment in class where you turned dirty water into clean water using sand and gravel or perhaps during a ‘Survival 101’ course. The timeline of when water filtration was first invented is a bit fuzzy, with some sources pointing to the early 19th century and others claiming it dates back to Hippocrates’ time. But one thing’s for sure: people have been using the basic principles of water filtration for ages!
Nowadays, clean water is more accessible than ever, thanks to modern water purification technologies that employ various methods, such as reverse osmosis—a term you might have heard during one of your biology classes. So, with all these new and advanced technologies available, is sand filtration still used in the 21st century? The answer is yes! It’s especially common in rural areas where high-tech water treatment isn’t as accessible. Sand filters are popular because they’re simple, affordable, and sustainable, making them a great option for rural and developing communities. Not to mention, whether high-tech or low-tech, water filtration plays an important role in combating waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis.
These days, it’s nearly impossible to picture our lives without electricity. It powers almost all our technology and everyday gadgets, making it one of the most essential energy sources. This convenience, which we often take for granted, can be traced back to 1831, when Michael Faraday discovered that moving a magnet through a coil of wire could generate electric current, demonstrating that electricity could be produced from mechanical motion. This principle is now known as electromagnetic induction. His work was pivotal in transitioning from simple, static electricity experiments to practical applications, leading to the development of early generators and transformers.
Over the years, generators have advanced. Now, solar panels, wind turbines, and hydropower plants all operate using similar basic principles to convert natural energy sources—sunlight, wind, and flowing water—into electricity. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to transform sunlight into electricity. Meanwhile, wind turbines and hydropower plants harness wind and flowing water, respectively, to spin a rotor, generating electricity through electromagnetic induction—just like Faraday’s early experiments. Plus, generating electricity from these renewable energy sources produces far fewer emissions than burning fossil fuels, and it’s actually cheaper in most countries today!
If you’ve ever battled a headache or struggled with period pain, you’ve probably heard of aspirin as a go-to remedy. But did you know that this trusty medicine has been around since at least 2500 BCE? That’s roughly 4,500 years ago! In ancient times, the willow tree was the primary source of salicylic acid, a natural compound related to synthetic aspirin. The Sumerians and Assyrians used willow tree extract to treat fever, pain, and inflammation. Even the renowned Hippocrates recommended willow tree bark to alleviate fever, relieve pain, and assist during childbirth.
It was Louis Pasteur and Alexander Fleming, however, whose groundbreaking experiments led to the discovery of vaccines and antibiotics. Pasteur became famous for proving that microorganisms, or germs, are the cause of many diseases. This revelation opened the door for vaccines made from weakened microbes, which he successfully tested on diseases like fowl cholera, anthrax, and rabies. During one of Fleming’s experiments, a mould accidentally contaminated his Petri dishes, preventing bacteria from growing around it—leading to the discovery of penicillin. Their discoveries paved the way for modern vaccines and antibiotics that continue to treat diseases today, including recent vaccines developed for COVID-19.
Food science, also known as bromatology, is one of the most practical sciences in our daily lives, even if we don’t always realise it. Take a simple sandwich, for instance. It involves at least three different processes—fermentation, emulsification, and food preservation—that are essential for creating and preparing the ingredients that come together to make the sandwiches we enjoy. Let’s take a closer look at each one:
We start with the bread. After all, there wouldn’t be a sandwich without bread, and bread wouldn’t exist without yeast! This biological raising agent is key in the fermentation process of making bread dough. Yeast feeds on the sugars in the dough, producing carbon dioxide and alcohol—a process that requires warmth. The carbon dioxide is what causes the dough to rise, giving bread its light and airy texture.
Next, we have mayonnaise, which you can make with just a few simple ingredients—oil, eggs, and an acid like vinegar or lemon juice! Normally, oil doesn’t mix well with other liquids, but that’s where emulsifiers come into play. In mayonnaise, the eggs act as the emulsifier, helping to blend the oil and vinegar (or lemon juice) when blitzed together, resulting in a smooth and creamy consistency.
Finally, my favourite component of the sandwich: the pickles. Pickling is one of the many methods of food preservation that have been used for centuries. Popular in various Asian cuisines, pickles are made by sealing vegetables, fruits, meats, or fish in an air-tight container with an acidic brine of choice. This process prevents the growth of bacteria, helping the food stay fresh longer while infusing it with delicious flavours.
It’s wild to think there was a time when people sent messages… by pigeon! But that was a long time ago, and we have come a long way since Alexander Graham Bell first invented the telephone. Fun fact: Bell’s passion for sound technology stemmed from a personal place—both his wife and mother were deaf. In 1872, he opened the School of Vocal Physiology and Mechanics of Speech, where Deaf individuals were taught how to speak. Then, in 1875, while working with his partner Thomas Watson, Bell figured out how to convert electricity into sound, leading to the invention of the first telephone. Just two years later, in 1877, the Bell Telephone Company—now known as AT&T—was established.
Shortly thereafter, radio emerged as a groundbreaking form of communication. In 1887, Heinrich Hertz proved the existence of electromagnetism—what we now refer to as radio waves. Interestingly, Hertz didn’t pursue practical applications for his discovery, focusing instead on the scientific principles behind it. While the true inventor of the radio remains a subject of debate, many credit the Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi with developing the first practical radio, which allowed for real-time communication over long distances. Today, the idea of using a radio for communication seems almost obsolete with the advent of satellites, WiFi, and 5G and 6G networks!
So, the next time you flip a switch, send a text, or enjoy a home-cooked meal, remember that you’re surrounded by science. It’s not something reserved for textbooks or labs; it’s woven into everything we do, inspiring innovation, solving everyday problems, and making life simpler and smarter. And who knows? Maybe someday, you’ll be the one discovering the next big breakthrough that changes the world or just makes breakfast a little better!
Ruka Nakamatsu is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) at Taylor's University. A voracious reader with an insatiable curiosity, she constantly delves into diverse topics, always on the lookout for the next great story to write.
