Oleskin A.V. / Introduction to the Natural Sciences for Biologists: A Special Course of Lectures

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Contents

Contents				3
Introduction				9
Lecture 1. The Natural Sciences in Terms of General Modern Scientific Discourse. Science as Part of Culture. New Role of the Life Sciences				11
1. Defining the Natural Sciences				11
2. Comparing and Contrasting the Natural Sciences with the Social Sciences and the Humanities				12
3. Subdividing the Natural Sciences into Disciplines				14
4. Important Characteristics of the Social Sciences and Humanities				16
5. The Main Distinctive Features of the Natural Sciences				17
6. Biology as a Future-Oriented Branch of the Natural Sciences				20
Presentation Subjects				21
List of Important Terms				21
Suggested Reading and References (to be used for student presentations)				21
Lecture 2. Introduction to the History of Natural Sciences				22
1. Mythological Paradigm				22
2. Natural-Philosophy Paradigm				24
3. Analytical and Mechanistic Paradigm				26
4. Organismic and Evolutionary Paradigm				26
5. Modern Synthetic Paradigm				28
Sample Test for Students				30
List of Important Terms				31
Suggested Reading and References (to be used for student presentations)				32
Lecture 3. Basic Characteristics of the Physical World. Space. Time. Motion				33
1. Space and Time				33
2. Cosmic Evolutionary Scenarios: Images of the Universe				38
3. Introducing the Notion of Movement (Motion)				40
4. Introducing Quantum Physics				42
Topics for Student Presentations				42
List of Important Terms				43
Suggested Reading and References (to be used for student presentations)				43
Lecture 4. History of the Universe. Physical Constants				44
1. Origins and Evolution of the Universe				44
2. Essential Physical Constants				47
Sample Test for Students				48
List of Important Terms				49
Suggested Reading and References (to be used for student presentations)				50
Lecture 5. Levels of Organization of Matter. Microworld. Macroworld. Megaworld				51
1. Levels of the Universe: the Matryoshka Model				51
2. Microworld				52
3. Macroworld				54
4. Megaworld				54
Topics for Student Presentation				57
List of Important Terms				58
Suggested Reading and References (to be used for student presentations)				58
Lecture 6. Main Laws of Physics				59
1. Philosophical Underpinnings of Classical Physics				59
2. Newton’s Laws				60
3. Force, Work, and Energy				61
4. Gravitation				62
5. Limitations of Classical Physics. Relativity				63
6. Special Relativity				63
7. General Relativity				64
Sample Test for Students				65
List of Important Terms				66
Suggested Reading and References (to be used for student presentations)				67
Lecture 7. Laws of Thermodynamics. Entropy				68
1. Defining Thermodynamics				68
2. Temperature				68
3. Heat				69
4. Equilibrium				70
5. Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics				70
6. First Law of Thermodynamics				71
7. Second Law of Thermodynamics				71
8. Entropy				73
9. Third Law of Thermodynamics				74
Topics for Student Presentations				75
List of Important Terms				75
Suggested Reading and References (to be used for student presentations)				76
Lecture 8. Chemistry: Types of Chemical Reactions				77
1. Defining Chemistry				77
2. Substances				77
3. Elements				78
4. Bonds				78
5. Chemical Reactions				79
6. Reversible and Irreversible Reactions. Chemical Equilibrium				80
7. Introducing Biochemistry				81
8. Main Types of Chemical Reactions				82
Sample Test for Students				85
List of Important Terms				86
Suggested Reading and References (to be used for student presentations)				86
Lecture 9. Water, the Ubiquitous Molecule. Aqueous Solutions				87
1. Water: its Roles in Humankind’s Life				87
2. Physical and Chemical Properties of Water. Hydrogen Bonds				88
3. Water in Nature. The Water Cycle				90
4. Global Role of Water. The World Ocean				91
5. Water in Terms of Global Economy				92
6. Drinking Water Problem				93
7. Solutions. Hydration. Ionization				93
Topics for Student Presentations				94
List of Important Terms				95
Suggested Reading and References (to be used for student presentations)				95
Lecture 10. Organic Chemistry. Chirality				96
1. Defining Organic Chemistry				96
2. Functional Groups				97
3. Aliphatic Compounds				97
4. Alkanes (Paraffins)				98
5. Alkenes (Olefins)				99
6. Alkynes				100
7. Organic Compounds with Heteroatoms				100
8. Alcohols				100
9. Aldehydes				101
10. Carboxylic Acids				102
11. Aromatic Compounds				103
12. Heterocycles				104
13. Amines				104
14. Polymers				106
15. Chirality				106
Sample Test for Students				108
List of Important Terms				108
Suggested Reading and References (to be used for student presentations)				109
Lecture 11. Evolution of the Earth. Role of the Moon. Functions of the Main Geochemical Elements (CHNOPS)				110
1. Defining Geology				110
2. Structure and Composition of the Earth				110
3. Formation of the Earth				112
4. Plate Tectonics				113
5. Emergence of Life				115
6. Accumulation of Oxygen in the Atmosphere				117
7. Emergence of Eukaryotes				118
8. Emergence of Multicellular Organisms				118
9. Cambrian Explosion				119
10. The Moon. Tides				120
11. Geochemistry				121
12. Role of CHNOPS Elements				122
Topics for Student Presentations				123
List of Important Terms				124
Suggested Reading and References (to be used for student presentations)				124
Lecture 12. Biological Systems. Life as an Order-Concentrating Force. Level-Structure of Life. Environmental Protection				125
1. Characteristic Features of Living Organisms				125
2. Life in Terms of Thermodynamics				130
3. Level-Structure of Life				131
4. Necessity of Environmental Protection				134
Sample Test for Students				135
List of Important Terms				136
Suggested Reading and References (to be used for student presentations)				136
Glossary				138

Introduction

The present book is to fulfill two functions.

First, it is a brief guidebook aimed at familiarizing readers with the main concepts of the natural sciences. This guidebook is mainly intended for students (bachelors and especially masters) majoring in ecology, environment, natural resource management, and related fields. One specific subgroup of students I have in mind are those belonging to the MSU-BIT University of Shenzhen, where I have had a chance to give a course of lectures and seminars on the aforementioned subject. Nonetheless, I hope the book might also come in useful for other educational institutions with similar agendas. Therefore, the book gives special attention to the ramifications of the natural sciences that are of relevance to present-day global ecological/environmental issues as related to the life sciences. I believe in the special mission of biology in the 21st century in terms of organizing the whole edifice of modern-day natural sciences.

Despite the special attention given to the life sciences, the guidebook also provides a comprehensive overview of the subjects that are in the focus of attention of the natural sciences ranging from physics to chemistry, astronomy, geology, geography, etc. It is assumed that the students already possess some basic secondary (high) school-level knowledge concerning elementary physics, chemistry, and especially mathematics. The emphasis is placed in these lectures on the relationship between the natural sciences and modern-day global ecological/ environmental problems and issues. This does not imply that the lectures will be of no relevance to academic audience with a different background. It is hoped that students intending to specialize in other natural and social sciences will also find this brief course of lectures sufficiently useful.

Second, the present book is to be considered a relatively easy-to-read primer that deals with the history and the present-day state-of-the-art of the modern natural sciences. It aims to help the reader come to terms with the dazzling world of scientific research with its mind-blowing discoveries affecting the life of the whole humankind. One of the main messages to be conveyed by this short book to the audience is that the whole impressive edifice of the Natural Sciences is no longer a shelter for egg-headed nerds residing in ivory towers. In fact, all modern sciences are very actively involved in global world-reshaping technological, cultural, and economic processes; present-day scientists and scholars around the world bear a great responsibility with regard to their activities that undoubtedly have important implications for global social developments. For instance, most nuclear physicists are aware of the applications of their research in terms of power stations and nuclear weapons.

Each new course of lectures usually begins with the definition of its subject. This course deals with all sciences that are concerned with nature and natural objects of all kinds. The history of the natural sciences is really extremely long, and humans started taking an interest in the natural environment around them when they were still at the stage of primitive human society, lived in caves and decorated cave walls with works of art called cave paintings.

Apart from lectures, seminars dealing with the main points of the course are to be conducted. Starting from Lecture 1, every odd-numbered lecture includes topics for short presentations, and students will be tasked with preparing them. All even-numbered lectures will be followed by a multiple-choice test (sample tests are given at the end of each of such lectures). It is suggested that a final oral test dealing with the main points of the present course should be administered after the last lecture.

At this point, my pleasant duty is to welcome my students or other interested audience to my lecture course that they will hopefully find sufficiently enjoyable and useful.

Note: The present work was carried out in terms of the state assignment of the Interdisciplinary Scientific and Educational School of Moscow State University titled The Future of the Planet and Global Environmental Change.

About the author

Alexander V. Oleskin

Doctor of Science (Biology), Full Professor (General Ecology and Hydrobiology Department, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University). Awards: Certificate of Recognition, International Nutrition Research Conference (Valencia, 2023); Certificate of Recognition, Nutraceuticals Conference (London, 2019); Honorary Emblem (Metchnikoff Star), Metchinoff in the 21st Century Program (Moscow, 2010); First-Grade Shuvalov Prize, Moscow State University (Moscow, 1994). Research: neurotransmitter synthesis by pro- and eukaryotic microorganisms; impact of neurotransmitters on growth, fatty acid, chlorophyll, and biogenic amine synthesis in bacteria, yeast, and microalgae; biopolitics; network structures in biological systems and human society.

Prof. Oleskin has recently produces the following monographs and guidebooks: Intercellular Interactions (Moscow: URSS, 2023), Global Ecology and Sustainable Development (Moscow: URSS, 2022), Decentralized Network Organization of the Scientific Community (Moscow: URSS, 2021), Microbial Communication and Microbiota-Host Interactions (with B. A. Shenderov, New York: Nova, 2020), Network Structures in Biological Systems and in Human Society (New York: Nova, 2014), and Biopolitics: The Political Potential of the Life Sciences (New York: Nova, 2012).

Oleskin A.V. Introduction to the Natural Sciences for Biologists:
A Special Course of Lectures

Summary

Oleskin A.V. Introduction to the Natural Sciences for Biologists: A Special Course of Lectures

Summary

Oleskin A.V. Introduction to the Natural Sciences for Biologists:
A Special Course of Lectures