Biology In Profile. A Guide To The Many Branches Of Biology

Other related titles of interest BAUM The Biochemist's Song Book DUNCAN & WESTON-SMITH The Encyclopedia of Ignorance KORNBERG et al. Reflections on Biochemistry BIOLOGY IN PROFILE A GUIDE TO THE MANY BRANCHES OF BIOLOGY Edited by P. N. CAMPBELL Courtauld Institute of Biochemistry The Middlesex Hospital Medical School London, England, UK SPONSORED BY THE COMMITTEE ON THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC UNIONS PERGAMON PRESS OXFORD · NEW YORK · TORONTO · SYDNEY · PARIS · FRANKFURT U.K. U.S.A. Pergamon Press Ltd., Headington Hill Hall, Oxford 0X3 OBW England Pergamon Press Inc., Maxwell House, Fairview Park, Elmsford, New York 10523, U.S.A. CANADA Pergamon Press Canada Ltd., Suite 104, 150 Consumers Rd, Willowdale, Ontario M2J 1P9, Canada AUSTRALIA Pergamon Press (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., P.O. Box 544, Potts Point, N.S.W. 2011, Australia Pergamon Press SARL, 24 rue des Ecoles, 75240 Paris, Cedex 05, France FRANCE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY Pergamon Press GmbH, 6242 Kronberg-Taunus, Hammerweg 6, Federal Republic of Germany Copyright © 1981 ICSU Committee on the Teaching of Science AJJ Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means· electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission in writing from the copyright holders. First edition 1981 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Biology in profile. 1. Biology I. Campbell, P. N. II. International Council of Scientific Unions. Committee on the Teaching of Science 574 QH307.2 80-42243 ISBN 0-08-026846-3 (Hardcover) ISBN 0-08-026845-5 (Flexicover) In order to make this volume avaiJabJe as economically and as rapidJy as possible the author's typescript has been reproduced in its originaJ form. This method unfortunately has its typographical limitations but it is hoped that they in no way distract the reader. Printed in Great Britain by A. Wheaton 8r Co. Ltd., Exeter FOREWORD Bureaucrats like to divide up science into the three neat compartments of Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Anyone who has tried to organize scien­ tific activities within such neat compartments is struck by the oddities of Biology as compared with Physics and Chemistry. The latter two give the appearance of being well organized scientific disciplines catering for the activities and needs of clearly defined professions. The fact that the reality is not quite like this does not prevent the Physicist and Chemist looking askance at Biology which seems to represent a rabble of people with interests as varied as beekeeping and the mass production of antibiotics. We biol­ ogists are very varied not only in our interests but also in our involvement in our science. Some may be interested in biology as a hobby and seek no remuneration, whereas others try to make an honest living from it. Biologists are not ashamed of their oddities, in fact they find the subject fascinating. Those of us who started our working lives as chemists rejoice in the good fortune that led us to biology. It would be foolish nevertheless if we did not acknowledge that the proliferation of biological sciences has its draw-backs. Unlike the physicists and chemists we cannot speak with one voice. But even if we speak with many tongues we can at least try to explain ourselves. What of the bright school children who may be attracted to biology; how are they to choose for further study from among all the varied branches of biology? These ideas were at the back of our minds when the members of the Committee on the Teaching of Science met in Paris in March 1979. Our Com­ mittee is a sub-committee of the International Council of Scientific Unions, whic