Biology and Mathematics As Partners

Science doesn't simply exist without mathematics. They work hand-in-hand to make the world better. Even though many doesn’t really know what mathematics’ role is to science, specifically biology, besides the fact that it has a big role in knowing the processes that a living creatures undergoes, what I don’t understand is how and what mathematics really does. Do mathematicians make formulas and explore patterns in explaining biological processes or it is something more complex than that. Finding the role of Mathematics to Biology would help people appreciate math better and not run away from it.

According to the book the Mathematics of Life written by Ian Stewart, there are six revolutions of Biology which changed the point of view of scientists regarding life. These six revolutions are the Microscope, the Classification of live organisms on earth, the theory of Evolution, Genetics, DNA structure, and believe it or not Mathematics. The author’s explanation to why Mathematics is the sixth biological revolution is that it simply unites the first five biological revolutions and it leads to new vistas. Its variety and novelty are factors which makes Mathematics useful in Biology.

Through the Linnaean System of Classification, the ambiguities concerning the different categories of organisms was systematized by Carl Linnaeus and was found to be helpful in finding out the lineage of each organism especially the human ancestors.

While reading Chapter 8, the Book of Life, it is said there that “Genes make you what you are. They explain everything about you. Genes make you fat, they make you homosexual, they cause diseases, and they control your destiny.” If this is indeed true then what is the role of the gene that makes you fat? I want these claims to be explicable especially to people like me who don’t have a deeper understanding of these processes.

All in all, the whole book seems like you’re taking Biology, rather than the interactions between Biology and Mathematics, where you learn basic science like single celled organisms called prokaryotes and the many-celled organisms called eukaryotes. The book also explained the process of cell division. That sometimes it loses the main focus of the book and that is the collaboration of both mathematics and science. It looks like mathematics work in the background.

Still don’t know the role of mathematics in science? Well, here they are:  through mathematical models phenomena could be explained or furthered studied because of these models; through the Fourier transform, a mathematical concept, helps provide the fine details of how an atom is arranged; it is also observed that plants seem to follow the Fibonacci sequence, Lucas numbers, the Golden angle and Fermat spiral. However, Thompson says that the Golden Ratio is a mathematical urban myth since there is no solid evidence for the claims regarding the Golden Ratio; and many more.

Here are some of the mathematicians and/or scientists who will prove to you that science and mathematics does exist together. Johannes Kepler an astrologer, astronomer and mathematician who explained the different lenses called concave and convex lenses which corrects eyesight. Galileo who improved the early telescopes and helped him discover that the Earth is not the centre of the universe. Robert Hooke an English polymath and a natural philosopher was able to point out the intricacies of minute organisms. William Lawrence Bragg and William Henry Bragg father and son who discovered the basic principles of the mathematics of wave interference.

By: DAISIC DE ASIS BELLO