The Bear is taking biology this year and one of the things that we have reviewed is the way scientific laws are made and how they can be proven wrong. The prime example used is Aristotle's hypothesis that non-life could produce life, something which is known as spontaneous generation. Aristotle proposed his theory around 350 B.C. and the data obtained for centuries seemed to support it so well that it was firmly believed until Louis Pasteur conclusively refuted it in AD 1859.
What is spontaneous generation? It was the belief that rancid meat turned into maggots, pond water turned into frogs, and boxes of grain turned into mice. My question is why anyone would want to create organisms that God used as plagues to punish the Pharoah of Egypt prior to the Jewish Exodus? Shouldn't we be avoiding making maggots, frogs, and mice? But "make" them they did just to prove that they could.
Then Louis Pasteur came along with his experiments and he proved there were other things at work in each of those situations. Living things, that is. I happen to be a big fan of Pasteur and I thank God for him every time I reach for a glass of pasteurized milk. Three cheers for Louis!
But I think I have to disagree with him on one point. I think dust can turn into an elephant.
It all started Monday when I lost something behind a heavy piece of furniture. It was one of those pieces that doesn't get moved often merely because of its weight. But since I'm in my fall cleaning mode (I didn't get to do the spring cleaning) - and I really wanted the item I dropped - I decided to tackle that puppy. So with dustcloth in hand I bent over to clean the baseboard as soon as I had moved the furniture. Specks of dust flew up in my face like a flock of sleeping ducks that had been disturbed on a pond! I gasped in surprise, which caused the involuntary response of inhaling deeply.
Uh oh. I'm in for it now.
Sure enough, by Tuesday evening at least one of those specks of dust had grown into an elephant and he was sitting squarely on my chest. I could feel him with each breath I took.
So dear M Pasteur if you were correct - and you most assuredly were - when you proved that non-life cannot spontaneously generate into life, might I suggest a hypothesis of my own? If it passes scrutiny we could name it Karabeth's Law:
Cleaning is bad for your health.
I like your law!
ReplyDeleteActually, your post reminds me of a joke I heard as a kid. A boy asks his mother if it is true from dust we came and unto dust we will return. She assured him it was true. He responded, "Well, then, there is someone either coming or going under my bed!"
Have a great day!
One of our grands stayed often with us throughout the summer. She loves to play in the two feet space behind the couch. When she went home again, we decided to clean - just like you did! Hubby helped to move the heavy beast of a couch,and vacuumed up the decomposed elephant behind and underneath it. Fortunately I had no ill health repercussions. A few hurricane-like sneezes to clear the nostrils and I was right as rain!
ReplyDeleteLove the joke Elizabeth heard as a kid! I heard the same one!
I agree. But blogging is good for the health, right?
ReplyDeleteBTW: you have 20 followers now. The student has surpassed the master. (bows low)