The Making of a Scientist

Richard Ebright had a deep fascination with collecting butterflies of different species. By the time he was in the second grade, he had collected all twenty-five species of butterflies found around his hometown. That would probably have been the end of his butterfly collection if not for a children’s book called ‘The Travels of Monarch X’. This book, which explained how monarch butterflies migrated to Central America, opened the world of science for Richard. After reading it, he became interested in tracking the migration of butterflies, which led him to various projects and experiments, eventually making him a renowned scientist.

Richard’s mother played a crucial role in his development. She always encouraged his interest in learning new things.

• She took him on trips.
• She bought him scientific equipment like telescopes, microscopes, cameras, and mounting materials.
• She helped him in every possible way. If he didn’t have anything to do, she found things for him to learn.
• Most importantly, she gifted him the book ‘The Travels of Monarch X’, which proved to be a major turning point in his life.

Ebright’s entry at a science fair was slides of frog tissues shown under a microscope. He did not win any prize. He realized that to win, he needed to conduct real experiments rather than just making a neat display. This failure motivated him to start working on various projects and conducting real experiments.

Ebright undertook several significant projects:

• Viral Disease: He tried to find the cause of a viral disease that killed nearly all monarch caterpillars every few years. He tested if a beetle carried the disease.
• Viceroy Butterflies: He tested the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarchs to avoid being eaten by birds.
• Insect Hormone: He studied bright spots on the monarch pupa and discovered an unknown insect hormone. This indirectly led to his new theory on the life of cells and how cells read their DNA.

According to the author, three key ingredients make a scientist:

• A first-rate mind.
• Curiosity.
• The will to win for the right reasons.

Richard Ebright possessed all these qualities. He was a bright student, a champion debater, and a competitive person blessed with a curious mind, which eventually led him to his theory on the life of cells.

Reading books is just one aspect of learning. To become a genius in a particular field, one must:

• Develop observation skills and thinking power.
• Have a curious mind and the desire to explore new things.
• Conduct real-life experiments and work on related projects.
• Work hard and put in a lot of sweat and effort in the particular area of interest.

Richard Ebright’s works were related to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. His theory on the life of cells helped the scientific community understand cell structure and growth.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is the substance in the nucleus of a cell that controls heredity. It passes genetic information from one generation to another. Ebright’s findings about insect hormones helped answer the puzzle of how the cell could ‘read’ the blueprint of its DNA. This determines the form and function of the cell.

• (i) DNA Fingerprinting: DNA is the blueprint for life. DNA fingerprinting is a forensic method used to identify parentage or prove innocence/guilt in criminal investigations using a tiny sample of blood or hair.
• (ii) Honeybees: Honeybees are sophisticated insects aware of their location. They use warning chemicals to leave trails for other bees and possess a pictorial memory of some sort to find their own honeycombs.
• (iii) Rain in drops: Rain forms from the condensation of vapour. The air below the dew point cannot hold all the moisture, so it turns into water. Droplets do not condense simultaneously; they start as tiny ice crystals that accumulate moisture and fall as rain drops when they melt.

Here are some interesting questions to discuss:

• Why are plants green in colour? (Due to chlorophyll).
• How and why do stars twinkle at night? (Due to refraction of light in the atmosphere).
• Why do fruits and flowers fall on Earth? (Gravity).
• Where does a rainbow get its colours from? (Dispersion of sunlight through water droplets).