Locusts for Lunch: Connecting Mathematics, Science, and Literature

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 182-189
Author(s):  
Richard A. Austin ◽  
Denisse R. Thompson ◽  
Charlene E. Beckmann

Locusts for lunch? if you watch reality television, lunching on locusts is tame compared with some of the edibles that participants in Fear Factor, the Amazing Race, Survivor, and other programs are required to eat. Locusts are considered delicacies in many parts of the world.

2019 ◽  
Vol 91 (12) ◽  
pp. 1941-1947
Author(s):  
Elena Ghibaudi

Abstract A comparison between the figures of Levi and Mendeleev is proposed, based on their peculiar ways of conceiving their professional role of chemist, their life experiences, their achievements and their thought. The Weltanschauung of these two figures, despite their having lived in distinct historical periods and their belonging to distinct cultures, was deeply influenced by the fact of being chemists: chemistry was – for both of them – a tool for interpreting the world around them and acting effectively in it. The chemistry Levi talks about in his writings is not just a narrative pretext: it is part of his vision of the world and a means of survival in the hellish context of the extermination camp. Similarly, Mendeleev’s idea of chemistry was always related to the life context and the human condition: this explains his pedagogical concerns and the attention payed to social, economic and cultural issues typical of his time. Both Levi and Mendeleev were chemists for whom chemistry was a means of civil engagement. Their writings show that chemistry was a source of inspiration for their ethics.


Author(s):  
N. Chambers

Nothing gives so just an idea of an age as genuine letters; nay, history waits for its last seal from them.Horace Walpole 2 Many scientific ideas have been described in works that have deeply affected the way we regard ourselves and the world. Even when a scientist has not been so influential, his writings might still be a rewarding source of interest. Indeed, they might have artistic worth and broad historical relevance of a kind that is rarely appreciated. Nothing could be more true of the 18th century, when the literary nature of science made the spread of knowledge and enquiry possible. At this time some men made voyages of discovery to distant lands. They collected, described and classified, imposing scientific order on the ‘New World’ as they went. The reports that were sent back excited readers in Europe eager to hear more of remote places, and not least those considering the form an imperial order might take. Meanwhile, other men crowded into societies dedicated to learning, or gathered their fellows together in correspondence. The mass of information available for scientists increased with their ability to draw on such web-like networks. A few became powerful through them, even manipulating the course of history. This combination of science and literature as a means of shaping events drew Sir Gavin de Beer's attention to one man: ‘It is curious that Banks should not yet have been recognized as one of the greatest letter-writers in the English language, but such he clearly was.’. 3


Literator ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 42-59
Author(s):  
M. E. Botha

Although there are important areas of overlap, the problem of realism differs in the contexts of philosophy, science and literature. What is common to all three realms is the fact that the empiricist notion of objectivity is not tenable any more. The recognition of the theory ladenness of scientific observation and the commentary ladenness of interpretation in literature is in fundamental contrast with the older views of objectivity which have dominated the scene for such a long time. The notion of realism inherent in this older view of objectivity in which science, philosophy or literature somehow “mirrors” the world, has fundamentally been affected by the overthrow of the objectivist tradition through developments in philosophy of science and developments in metaphor theory in which the emphasis on “literal” descriptions of reality have made way for the recognition of the relative distinction between the literal and the metaphorical. Both science and literature have acknowledged the possibility of a potential plurality of possible interpretations of “reality”. This means that as many “realities” exist as interpretations of reality and of texts are possible. This has confronted both science and literature with the need for a fundamentally revised notion of “realism” and of truth and has posed the very real problem of the (im-)possibility of convergence toward truth, reality or the one and only “correct” interpretation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Kania Sugandi

<p>Tourism and travel programmes, in the form of direct advertorials, travel and adventure shows, and reality television series set in exotic locations, now constitute a significant set of media forms, genres and sub-genres. This is clearly in line with recent and contemporary increases in the number of people travelling, facilitated by sophisticated transportation infrastructure, inexpensive airfares and an increased exposure, through the media, of what is on offer to the tourist/traveller. Considerable study has been done on the field of travel and tourism in order to ascertain what motivates people to travel; the nature of the interaction between the visitor and the visited; and how cultures are impacted by the introduction of tourism in the area. However, it is curious that, given its abundance and popularity, there is a noticeable absence of academic literature on television travel programmes and genres. Travel programmes give viewers a window onto travel destinations both within their own countries and, more commonly, around the world. Within the genre of travel programmes, there exists a wide variety of types and sub-genres, usually with an emphasis on tourism, adventure, and culture and heritage. Those differences aside, most travel programmes inform viewers (that is, either potential travellers or so-called ‘armchair travellers’) about what is available to see and do in, and generally what to expect from, a place, its people and its culture. Travel programmes act as advertisements for both destinations and the act of travelling itself. Three travel programmes will be analysed in this thesis: Sahara with Michael Palin, Long Way Down, and Intrepid Journeys. ...</p>


2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-104
Author(s):  
Vasilica Sirbu-Jakobsen

There is much to be said about the Nobel Prizes. Numerous pages are written each year to promote, describe, analyze and criticize the prizes, their initiator and their evolution since 1901. The purpose of this study is to bring back to light from the dust of the archives information about those Romanians who were ahead of their times through their outstanding thinking and understanding of the world. Little has been written about those nominated, since it has been considered more relevant to focus on the winners. There were plentiful creative minds who only needed an opportunity to be known to the world. Famous Romanian names show up from the archives and the nomination database provided by the Nobel Institution and enable us to get a broad perspective of the nominators and the nominees. Ironically, as in the case of the Nobel Peace Prize, most of those who genuinely had a chance to win were never nominated.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilya R. Khuzeeva

Narratology as a general narrative theory applies to the analysis of artistic and historical texts. At the same time, it can be successfully applied to the analysis of television scenarios, because it allows you to see the general course of the proposed history, determine the television picture of the world, and, perhaps, more broadly, media reality. The reconstruction of the TV show model can be useful for the subsequent implementation in the practical activities on television when creating original projects. Based on the narratological analysis of the two seasons of the reality show “Ladette” (they appeared on the Russian TV channel “Piatnitsa” in 2016-2017), the author identifies the composition of the program and narrative strategies that implement various types of narrators. In the course of the study, groups of narrators were identified, their roles in the development of the plot were defined, and their narrative strategies were formulated. A consistent study of the implementation of the strategy led to a general conclusion about which strategy is leading and decisive for this type of reality show. Identification of narrative strategies allows you to expand the boundaries of potential project changes in the future, and also stimulates the search for optimal ways to implement various television functions, including regulatory, social and educational, and others


2003 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee M. Penyak

La medicina científica was a popular journal read by Mexican doctors at the end of the nineteenth century. Each edition contained articles on the latest research and developments in the profession and also medical news from around the world of potential interest to subscribers. An excerpt from a February 1889 entry noted that Carolina Schultze had recently passed her medical oral exams in France. One of the evaluators acknowledged her obvious skill and “the great service she will perform to society.” But the article's focus, and the probable reason for its inclusion in this Mexican journal, quickly turned to whether or not other women could match her talent. The author presumed that she was, in fact, unique. “The female doctor,” he said, “neither has been nor is nor ever will be more than an exception, as there are exceptional women in all fields of knowledge, art, science, and literature.” Even more suggestive about late nineteenth-century bias were the reasons why he thought that female doctors, if they must exist, should only specialize in the illnesses of women and children: “when women enter into the practice of a profession appropriate only to the strong sex, they are never satisfied with a secondary role and always want to shine in the front row.”


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