Observations in Science

Observations in Science

Why Looking first is so important to the scientific

method and any good scientist

Why Looking first is so important to the scientific

method and any good scientist

Why Must we Observe in the first place?

Why Must we Observe in the first place?

• All scientists must be patient; taking the time to truly study what you are investigating helps one think things through

• If you don’t look at the world around you, how can you ever hope to understand how it works?

• It’s tradition. Before the invention of computers, cameras, and film, scientists had to study wildlife and experiments the old-fashioned way---by looking

• All scientists must be patient; taking the time to truly study what you are investigating helps one think things through

• If you don’t look at the world around you, how can you ever hope to understand how it works?

• It’s tradition. Before the invention of computers, cameras, and film, scientists had to study wildlife and experiments the old-fashioned way---by looking

Best way to ObserveBest way to Observe• Simple: A pencil and paper• All good biologists/naturalists kept

field journals• When they were researching a

particular phenomenon or animal, they would stop wherever the event occurred and record as much as they could via plain eyesight transference (aka drawing)

• Some of the most important discoveries in science were recorded via nothing more than a pen or pencil (or paints)

• Simple: A pencil and paper• All good biologists/naturalists kept

field journals• When they were researching a

particular phenomenon or animal, they would stop wherever the event occurred and record as much as they could via plain eyesight transference (aka drawing)

• Some of the most important discoveries in science were recorded via nothing more than a pen or pencil (or paints)

Leonardo Da vinci (1452-1517)Famous Painter, Inventor,

Engineer

Leonardo Da vinci (1452-1517)Famous Painter, Inventor,

Engineer• Famous during the

Renaissance• Used his sketch

book to record thousands of ideas and inventions that came to him

• Recorded first anatomical drawings of man as seen on right in the Vitruvian Man

• One of first people to consider man taking flight

• Famous during the Renaissance

• Used his sketch book to record thousands of ideas and inventions that came to him

• Recorded first anatomical drawings of man as seen on right in the Vitruvian Man

• One of first people to consider man taking flight

Drawings[Concept for Flight and Study of a

womb]

Drawings[Concept for Flight and Study of a

womb]

Maria Sybilla Merian (1647-1717)

First Entomologist

Maria Sybilla Merian (1647-1717)

First Entomologist • A flower painter

and engraver• Traveled to a

foreign country without a man to draw her organisms (very unthinkable during this time period)

• Set a new standard for accuracy in a time of mythical beasts

• Helped spur scientific revolution

• Painting seen here: Soursop

• A flower painter and engraver

• Traveled to a foreign country without a man to draw her organisms (very unthinkable during this time period)

• Set a new standard for accuracy in a time of mythical beasts

• Helped spur scientific revolution

• Painting seen here: Soursop

Portrait of Merian and One of her Paintings

Portrait of Merian and One of her Paintings

• Portrait by Grenadier• Peanut-head Lantern Moth• Portrait by Grenadier• Peanut-head Lantern Moth

John Gould (1804-1881)Famous Ornithologist/Artist

John Gould (1804-1881)Famous Ornithologist/Artist

• In his life time, John Gould produced over 41 volumes comprised of 2,999 plates of artistic observations of animals in their native habitats

• His work is known world-wide thanks to the Audubon

• Work seen here: Monograph of Trogons(1858)

• In his life time, John Gould produced over 41 volumes comprised of 2,999 plates of artistic observations of animals in their native habitats

• His work is known world-wide thanks to the Audubon

• Work seen here: Monograph of Trogons(1858)

Ornithorhynchus anatinus (1863)

Platypuses

Ornithorhynchus anatinus (1863)

Platypuses

Common Ringtail Possum

(No date)

Common Ringtail Possum

(No date)

Lewis and ClarkExpedition of Exploration

Lewis and ClarkExpedition of Exploration

Lewis and ClarkLewis and Clark

• One of the most famous American expeditions

• During their time on the plains, these two men recorded numerous species, kept detailed records, and are famous for their knack at detail

• Great volumes of knowledge came from these two men’s ability at observation

• Sketch titled: Grizzly Bear

• One of the most famous American expeditions

• During their time on the plains, these two men recorded numerous species, kept detailed records, and are famous for their knack at detail

• Great volumes of knowledge came from these two men’s ability at observation

• Sketch titled: Grizzly Bear

Bushy-Tailed Woodrat, adult with cache

Bushy-Tailed Woodrat, adult with cache

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!!NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!!

• Remember that scientific sketches aren’t supposed to be pieces of art

• They are nothing more than another means of studying an experiment of natural observation

• Therefore you will not be graded on beauty, but effort

• Sketching is like any other skill, it takes practice at first!! Do not give up!!

• Remember that scientific sketches aren’t supposed to be pieces of art

• They are nothing more than another means of studying an experiment of natural observation

• Therefore you will not be graded on beauty, but effort

• Sketching is like any other skill, it takes practice at first!! Do not give up!!