The aim of the natural sciences is to discover the laws that rule the world (Büchel, 1992). The focus lies hereby on the natural and not on the social world, although the differentiation is not always simple. There are historically three core areas of the natural sciences: chemistry, biology and physics. Nevertheless this is not a final list of research areas, since many other disciplines were later born out of these. As more knowledge is created, more specific questions arise. This leads to the fact that early natural scientists were generalists from today’s perspective, and later specialized in newly emerging disciplines such as astronomy in the beginning, different engineering disciplines later, and rather recently (i.e. in the last century) created fields such as robotics or bionics.
5.2 What is a Coral Atoll? Darwin’s Hypothesis on the Origin of Coral Island Atolls Coral atolls are ring-shaped structures that often extend several thousand feet below sea level. What causes atolls to form, and how do they attain …
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5.1 Mapping the Topography of the Ocean Floor; Underwater Volcanoes, Mountains and Valleys The ocean is the largest feature on Earth, covering more than 70% of our planet’s surface. One of the main reasons that Wegener’s continental drift hypothesis was …
4.8 Is Wind Energy MORE Destructive to the Environment than Coal Power Plants? Wind Energy from Turbines and Large Windmills: Pros and Cons Air has mass, and when it moves, i.e. when the wind blows, it contains the energy of …
4.7 Solar Energy: the Pros and Cons; Geology and Alternative Energy Sources The term solar energy generally refers to the direct use of the sun’s rays to supply energy for the needs of people. The simplest and perhaps most widely …
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4.6 No CO2 Emissions! The Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy: Geology and Alternate Energy Sources Roughly 8% of the energy demand of the United States is being met by nuclear power plants. The fuel for these facilities comes from …