What Is Science?

The other day I was asked "What Is Science?". Well, that's a toughy - very philosophical for my right-brained self... but I sat down and thought it out. Here are my thoughts, pre-Antarctica.

Science is an adventure. It’s a quest for knowledge that never ends. It takes time and effort, but it’s really quite simple once you get to the heart of it. People like to learn new things. This is especially true when it comes to the world around us. So they come up with stories of what they think will happen, and then create controlled experiments to see if they’re right. It is a process… and a messy one at that. Filled with lots of mistakes, lots of work - and if you really love what you’re doing, lots of fun as well! Science is opportunity. It’s an opportunity to show the world that there’s more out there than meets the eye. It’s an opportunity to shine a light on the very small,

SEM image of Biotite, a mineral found in ash.
(the very small)

and pull into perspective the very large. It’s an opportunity to discover something that no one else thought of, or find something unexpected. Science is not only for the stodgy, bearded, academic. Science is organic, and holds a place in everyone’s hearts. While there are many fancy words, impressive citations, complicated formulas etc. Everything begins with a question. And that question sparks new questions. From a child asking where rain comes from, to NASA wondering if there’s water on mars. Everything stems from that integral human trait - curiosity.

I mean, I know that’s why I agreed to a six week journey to Antarctica - the coldest and most desolate on Earth. It's curiosity, adventure, the idea of discovering something new! The opportunity to stand on ground that no one has ever stood on before! One doesn't just suffer through weeks of no showers and no internet for kicks. Besides, many people have been through much worse for the sake of discovery. Science is messy. It's sloughing through marshes, playing with lightening, exploring in the jungle... and camping in the cold and wind of

BUARG camp site juxtaposed to the TAM
(the very large)

Antarctica. In order to learn how nature works, you need to go up and poke it with a stick. I'm so excited to have this opportunity to actually get in there, roll up my sleeves (or layer them on) and figure it out for myself!

Yet, science is an enterprise that affects so many more people than just the solitary scientist. It builds upon years and years of hard work by others in our fields. When I was a kid, I used to wonder why nature does what it does. But this is an age old question that humans have been tackling for centuries. It began with the very first people and simple experiments like "is this berry safe to eat", or "can I touch fire". As time went on people soon realized that science is methodical, a process. It involves experimentation, and data collection. Plus the invention of written language probably didn't hurt. Thus over centuries of hard work, we have transformed "science" into the large body of knowledge that we have and enjoy today. Yet even now, with the scientific method, peer review, modeling, and new technology... it still all begins with a simple question. An observation. A spark. An adventure!

-Emelia Chamberlain

Mars Updates and Antarctica

   Mars Updates and Antarctica

   Over the past few weeks, NASA has released several important updates about the atmospheric conditions of Mars. These developments and their relation to the BU Antarctic Research Group's (BUARG) work in Antarctica have me very excited. 

Nisha Kishore - Earth-centered Ethics

Earth-centered Ethics

Have you considered the focus of our ethics system? I did, or at least I thought so, during my ethics course junior year of high school. I was surprised by today’s seminar because it challenged my beliefs and allowed me to view the Earth from a fresh perspective.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hi everyone! 
I thought I would share the answers to some of the questions people commonly ask me. If I forgot anything please leave a comment with your questions and I will do my best to answer them!

BURECS Beginnings by Nisha Kishore

BURECS Beginnings

8:03 pm, my watch read. I’m late! I thought. I started running down Commonwealth Ave to get to ultimate frisbee practice. As I started jogging, I felt a few drops of rain fall down my face. I looked up to the sky and couldn’t help but let my mind wander to Earth’s climate change, and to what I’ve been learning in with BU RECS.

I’ve had a great time in class these past two weeks. Drew Christ, our graduate fellow, gave the first two presentations. Last week, he focused on the Earth’s current climate system. He emphasized that the radiation from the sun is not received evenly throughout the Earth, resulting in a large solar radiation imbalance. Several factors contribute to this imbalance, including varying levels of albedo and changes in the Earth’s tilt due to its rotation. This week, Drew concentrated on climate models. He introduced climate proxies, which are indicators of previous climatic conditions. He taught us about collecting data by studying tree rings, caves, and radiometric dating. The lesson concluded with learning about different types of climate models and their uses.

Overall, I’m excited about how much I’ve learned about Earth’s climate in such a short time. I’m looking forward to next week: the first presentation by my peers! 

--Nisha Kishore

Heigh Ho It's Off To Work We Go!

Wow. Less than a month until departure!

Natalie Robinson working hard picking some algae.

These past few weeks have been so crazy... and they've gone by so fast! First we welcomed the new freshman class of BURECS (woooo!).  Then they put up a program poster on Warren Towers (featuring my lovely co-ambassadors and me). Then the three of us were interviewed on BU radio! It's great to see the program getting such recognition and promotion. Communication is of course the C in BURECS so its exciting to see us really reaching out and sharing our research with the community.

As for me, I just finished my final for the a marine estuaries class  in  the Boston University Marine Program. It was a lot of fun, and a lot of work. Although it was a great experience, I'm glad its over-  now I have time to really focus on preparing for the expedition - and get some lab time in!

A Few Words from One of the Newest BURECSers, Nisha Kishore

A Few Words from One of the Newest BURECSers, Nisha Kishore

“Étudiants au revoir!” I heard my French teacher say as I exited the classroom. With my head held high and an overwhelming smile on my face, I made my way downstairs to the beginning of an indescribable adventure: my orientation for BURECS.

As I entered the room, I couldn’t help but admire the beauty of the moment. 19 freshmen, from different colleges, aspirations, and backgrounds, all coming together for the purpose of research. I took my seat and took a mental image of the faces in the room, knowing that they would momentarily become my colleagues.

Dave began the orientation by introducing the course syllabus and content. We will be studying the Earth’s climate change this semester, and two different students will present the chapter every week. I’m looking forward to learning from my peers and being able to create my own presentation. After the introduction, Dave gave us an innovation-style questionnaire to help us understand our personal style of coming up with ideas. I was certain that I would be considered a visionary, so I was surprised to find out that I’m a philosopher. I learned that I’m stimulated by ideas and I tend to view a situation from a more thoughtful perspective.

I’m looking forward to being a part of this amazing group of students and faculty. I am excited to see what we can accomplish together and am confident that this semester will be unforgettable!