Today, I learn about more than DNA. The University
of Houston's College of Engineering presents this
series about the machines that make our
civilization run, and the people whose ingenuity
created them.
Robert Hazen and James
Trefil are two scientists who've been studying
scientific illiteracy. Hazen recently spoke to
group of geophysicists. He asked them to
distinguish between RNA and DNA. Only two out of 25
could.
I also came up short. I didn't know the difference,
either. I knew the very nature of our being is
vested in them; but how? Hazen exposed a huge
scientific illiteracy in my own life.
He had my attention. Maybe those of us who work in
science and technology are our own worst enemies.
We often lay claim to ignorance of anything but our
own area. It seems that by knowing heat transfer,
I'd let myself be ignorant of biology.
So I put the question to a biochemist. He began by
reciting the structure of the DNA molecule. My
first reaction was to cut him off. I wasn't
interested in organic chemistry. I only wanted the
answer.
But then I relaxed and paid attention. A biochemist
was sharing his knowledge on his terms. To
understand, I had to meet him there. He was
absolutely right. I had to hear him out. If I
didn't come to terms with details, I would know
nothing.
DNA is a wonderfully elegant molecule. It's also
very stable. RNA is only slightly different. It's
less stable. RNA presents the information from DNA
in an interactive form. RNA puts the DNA code to
work making protein for our cells. It shapes those
cells for the brain or muscles, blood or skin.
DNA is the archival record of our being. It's
carried in every cell of our body. RNA is the
working copy of that record. DNA is like the
American constitution buried in a Washington vault.
RNA is like the working law. It's fractional and
varied, but it always reflects that document in the
vault.
From the biochemist, I went to a biophysicist. She
told me about the human genome and the structure of
genes and chromosomes. After just two hours spent
patching my ignorance, I emerged far richer. I came
away with renewed awe for the majesty of human
life. I came away reminded that scientific
knowledge is not a secret. But we ourselves often
believe it is. We intimidate one another. I've
known laymen far better equipped to speak across
the lines we draw than we are.
Hazen and Trefil tell us we won't achieve
scientific literacy when we wall ourselves off from
each other. Scientific literacy means believing
that we can understand what we don't know. We have
to role-model that belief, that curiosity -- and
that confidence -- before we ask it of the general
public.
I'm John Lienhard, at the University of Houston,
where we're interested in the way inventive minds
work.
(Theme music)
