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Biology is now bigger than physics, as measured by the size of budgets, by the size of the workforce, or by the output of major discoveries; and biology is likely to remain the biggest part of science through the twenty-first century.
Freeman Dyson
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Biology is increasingly becoming the dominant field of science due to its growing funding, workforce, and discoveries.

Freeman Dyson asserts that biology has eclipsed physics in terms of funding, human resources, and groundbreaking discoveries. He predicts that this trend will continue into the twenty-first century, emphasizing biology's pivotal role in the future of scientific exploration and understanding. This perspective highlights how advancements in biological sciences will play a crucial role in addressing the complexities of life and health, underscoring the significance of biology in our contemporary and future scientific landscape.

Themes

BiologyScienceDiscoveriesPhysicsFuture

In practice

Example use cases

In a presentation about the future of science, I could use Dyson's quote to illustrate the rising importance of biological research.

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Thanks to the discoveries of astronomers in the twentieth century, we now know that the heat death is a myth. The heat death can never happen, and there is no paradox.
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