Do You Need Science in Real Life?

Studying science proves challenging to many students, especially when much of what a person learns in science class seems to have no real-life applications. However, science is a part of daily life, and even those who don't claim to be scientists use it, sometimes on a daily basis. From the kitchen to the gaming console, a knowledge of the subject goes a long way to improving the quality of life for those who use it.

With the discovery that video games can help people process information faster and have the ability to teach students about complex issues such as the history of fall of the Berlin Wall, video games have finally gotten some respect. But without science and technology, none of these games would exist. The proliferation of games for consoles, tablets and phones has made this area of science one of the most lucrative and most enjoyable. Video game programmers must learn not only math and computer programming, but even physics to create realistic video games.

For people who perpetually burn something in the kitchen, a little knowledge of chemistry may make cooking and baking a much more pleasant experience. For example, dropping asparagus into water and leaving it there for a bit makes the green look greener, but too much heat causes this vegetable to turn drab. This has to do with the chemical changes that occur as food and heat come together.

Additionally, a whole new world of cooking has opened up inspired by how food changes when its chemistry changes. Known as molecular gastronomy, this new brand of cooking brings such foods as bacon-and-egg ice cream and edible foams to the table, and practitioners rely on knowing the processes of chemistry to create the new dishes that will be seen on the tables of the world's finest restaurants.

The agricultural industry has evolved from being a bit of food grown on people's properties tilled by hoe and horse to a multi-million dollar industry. In today's modern agriculture, science plays a huge role in determining not only how successful crops are, but it also helps farmers solve problems that arise during the growing season. Recent scientific advancements have created ways for plants to take life-giving nitrogen directly from the air, which plants must have to grow. Science has also alerted scientists about how bees' behavior shapes pollination or project how climate change will affect crop growth in the future. Farmers must keep up on these trends in science if they want to stay in business.

Those who pay attention in biology class may just avoid a nasty case of food poisoning. Although certain foods such as eggs or mayonnaise get the rap for making people sick, it's actually the bad bacteria that grows in food that causes stomach distress. Keeping food cold slows down the growth of harmful bacterias in foods, staving off sickness. This represents one of the most tangible examples of how a knowledge of science affects a person's day-to-day life.