In the development of antibiotics, the soil microbiological population has contributed more than its share. It is to the soil that the microbiologists came in search of new antibacterial agents.
Interpretation
The soil's microbial life has played a crucial role in discovering antibiotics.
Selman Waksman's quote emphasizes the vital contribution of soil microbiology to the field of antibiotics. It highlights how scientists have looked to the rich microbial diversity in soil to find new antibacterial agents, showcasing the interconnectedness of nature and scientific progress in healthcare.
In practice
During a lecture on antibiotics, one could cite this quote to illustrate the importance of natural sources in scientific discovery.
In the original introduction to the word meme in the last chapter of 'The Selfish Gene,' I did actually use the metaphor of a 'virus.' So when anybody talks about something going viral on the Internet, that is exactly what a meme is, and it looks as though the word has been appropriated for a subset of that.
I belonged to a small minority of boys who were lacking in physical strength and athletic prowess. ... We found our refuge in science. ... We learned that science is a revenge of victims against oppressors, that science is a territory of freedom and friendship in the midst of tyranny and hatred.
What we can be scientifically certain of is that our continued use of fossil fuels is pushing us to a point of no return
Science is nothing, but trained and organized common sense.
In my Nobel lecture, I suggested we had until the year 2000 to tame the population monster, and then food shortages would take us under. Now I believe we have a little longer.
Just because things get a little dingy at the subatomic level doesn't mean all bets are off.
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