Research at the Intersection of the Physical and Life Sciences (2010) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
1 Introduction
Pages 9-11
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From page 9... ...
Important for this report, the life sciences are rarely included in the same academic department as the physical sciences,1 and it is not uncommon for these fields to be taught in separate colleges. And even within the broad categories of life sciences or physical sciences, microbiologists are likely to be in separate departments from ecologists, while physicists may rarely interact with their chemist colleagues.
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From page 10... ...
In contrast, the life sciences seek to understand a natural world that is multifaceted -- perhaps even messy -- and almost never in the steady state. Whereas fundamental laws drive the physical sciences, diversity and complexity are the key characteristics of the life sciences.
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From page 11... ...
Research at this intersection can help address some of our most urgent societal challenges, from improved sources of food to creative, alternative sources of energy and from improved medical diagnostics and treatments to new, biologically inspired devices that identify and combat biological threats or help to mitigate the effects of climate change. The next two chapters of this report delve more deeply into research efforts -- both now and in the near future -- in this intersection of the life and physical sciences.
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