Champorado’t Tuyo (Chocolate Rice Porridge and Dried Fish)

A Book Review on Mathematics of Life by Ian Stewart

“The interaction between mathematics and biology is one of the hottest areas of science. It has already come a long way in a very short time. Only the future will show just how far it can go. But one thing I guarantee: it’s going to be an exciting ride.”

                                                              -Ian Stewart

                                                                       

I have two questions for you. First, did you hear about the student who passes her work a month late? I know her. She has a late syndrome, but she’s charming. ;) Second, have you tried champorado paired with tuyo? Most people would disagree that champorado and tuyo can make such really, really, really, great breakfast or even meryenda. How can salty dried fish compliment sweet chocolate rice porridge? Biology and Mathematics seems like champorado and tuyo. How can deadly Math improve beautiful Biology? Yes, I’m biased. For me, Biology is much, much more enjoyable. In Biology, we study different forms of life while in math, we study death. Ian Somerhalder, Ian Stewart I mean, proved this wrong in one of his book, Mathematics of Life. Mathematics and Biology can be a perfect tandem. Stewart explained the five revolutions of Biology. He also added a sixth one which greatly improved and truly revolutionized Biology, and that is Mathematics. He showed the different connections of Biology and Mathematics that already existed a long time ago.

When I read the contents page and the first few chapters, it seems to be a Biology book. Something was wrong. The first three chapters introduced the five revolutions of Biology: invention of microscopy, systematic classification, theory of evolution, discovery of the gene, and the discovery of the DNA. The typical Biology was showed in these chapters; discusing about cells, Carolus Linnaeus, Origin of the Species by Charles Darwin, Gregor Mendel and pea plants, Crick and Watson, and structure of the DNA. When I started reading the next chapters, it still seems to be a Biology book. I was wrong. The rest of the chapters explained the various hidden roles of Mathematics in biology throughout the five revolutions.

In 17^th century, Mathematics was the force that caused the advancement of physical sciences. Mathematics and Physics were buddies along with Astronomy, Chemistry, Engineering and other related areas. Biology was left out. Mathematics had little role in the development of biological science. However, little did people know that Math was secretly hanging out with Biology. It was doing so long before anyone noticed.

The microscope’s development was only empirical, but when Mathematics of optics came, it transformed the microscope into a really good one. We can’t study and appreciate microorganisms if that didn’t come. The systematic classification was helped out by mathematical trees. Let’s go to Charles Darwin and evolution. Evolution did not require any math expressions. Geology, not Math was vital to it, but Darwin was on the Beagle because the vessel was carrying out a chronometric survey which is a Math technique for finding longitude. Even Gregor Mendel’s discoveries were possible with the help of simple mathematical patterns like in the arrangement of petals or seeds in a flower called Fibonacci. It is also found in the shell of snail. Even the patterns or spots and symmetry of animals have a math to it; so, next time you go to a zoo, appreciate Math. Animals have life. What defines life?

Biology is defined by life, and life is defined by the DNA. Math has a role in this definition of life. Some clues of the structure of DNA was Chargaff’s Rule. Topology, a branch of Math, was used to understand the DNA’s shape.  Math was very useful in studying the DNA further. It simplified the complex DNA.

The topics covered by the book were wide. How symmetry and abstract concept of dimensions plays a role in virus structure, split of a single species into two, and even in animal coat patterns. Why game theory, discussed this using lizards, can help find out which evolutionary strategies were best. What problems in genetics can be understood using probability?

“Philosophy is written in this grand book, the universe, which stands continually open to our gaze. But the book cannot be understood unless one first learns to comprehend the language and read the characters in which it is written. It is written in the language of mathematics, and its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures, without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it; without these one is wandering in a dark labyrinth,”

Galileo, The Assayer (1623)

This was the opening in the last chapter, chapter 19: The Sixth Revolution. Stewart said that Mathematics was not the real revolution because no one ever used Mathematics to solve a biological problem before. What was truly revolutionary was the breadth of the methods used. Biology and Mathematics wouldn’t be as close as Physics and Math. Math has a little chance to dominate Biology, but its role would be essential. Beautiful biology + deadly math = drop dead gorgeous Biomathematics. Even if this two seems very different from each other, they can be a great team like champorado and tuyo.

Today, Biology makes use of Math in ways no one would have dreamed of at the start of the 20^th century. Maybe in 22^nd century, Math and Biology will change each other out of all recognition like what Math did with Physics during the 19^th ad 20^th century. Before, science was an individual job. Now, Science is changing from just individual scientists to clusters of scientists from different fields. Communities can achieve things that are impossible for their individual members. "Welcome to the global ecosystem of tomorrow’s science."

The book is a testament of the versatility of math and how it is shaping our understanding of the world. Stewart’s Mathematics of Life was easier to understand compared to other Math books. His writing is direct to the point and has lightness to it. It started out simple then slowly gets deeper. Stewart laid out the foundations of Biology then slowly builds it up with the connections of Math. Research is a big deal here. His work is just an overview of the bigger picture of math and biology. If he left out questions unanswered and hanging, maybe, just maybe, he wants you to answer it. He wants you to try Biomathematics. It’s nice to read for starters like me. It is not a hardcore math or hardcore biology. Just open your mind.

I like to share a joke from the book. It is originally from Computer Power and Human Reason by Joseph Weizenbaum. There was a drunk searching under a lamp post for his keys.

Random dude:  “Did you drop them here?”

Drunk: “No, but this is the only place where there’s enough light to look.”

Moral of the story? If you’re planning to get drunk, do it at your home and keep your things. Wag burara. (Don’t be messy.) Besides that, the point was that in Science, you have to look under a lamp post in order to find the “keys”. Mathematics, on the otherhand, is a flashlight or a torch. Even if the keys are somewhere else, you’ll find them.

Anyway, back to my real sentiments. Did you hear about the girl who has the late syndrome and have you tried champorado partnered with tuyo?