TED Talk on Curiosity in Science
Dr. Kevin Jones
Curiosity has always been a central theme in scientific discovery, and is at the heart of the modern scientific method that you learned about at the start of the semester. In this TED Talk, Dr. Kevin Jones explains why curiosity should remain a critical element in medical sciences. Despite the general opinion in the public that the mainstream field of medicine is only driven by insurance premiums and efficient administration, Dr. Jones reminds us that good medicine is (and should remain) driven by good scientific inquiry and curiosity.
TASK: Watch the following TED Talk video entitled ” Why curiosity is the key to science and medicine”: https://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_b_jones_why_curiosity_is_the_key_to_science_and_medicineLinks to an external site.

1. Dr. Jones uses slightly different words to describe the scientific method to a general (non-scientific) audience. What are the terms that he uses?
2. Cite TWO HISTORIC EXAMPLES that Dr. Jones uses to explain how new observations caused a change in the way we view a scientific concept. Explain each example in a few sentences.
3. What kind of a doctor is Dr. Jones? What is his specialty?
4. Define the term “oncogene” (in your own words – don’t copy and paste from the internet).
5. Define the term “tumor suppressor gene” (in your own words – don’t copy and paste from the internet).
6. In two paragraphs, explain why Dr. Jones feels that his medical specialty is an ideal platform for carrying out the scientific method. In your explanation, try using the words “outliers”, “population”, and “curiosity”.

Sample Solution

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