Steel seems to occupy a special place and purpose in our civilisation. Even though other materials exist, both metallic and non-metallic, they're not as utilised as much as steel. What special properties does it have that these others don't? Certainly there are other materials that are stronger, lighter, less prone to corrosion, or just plain less costly to make.

Or maybe steel is just the jack-of-all-trades that has all those properties in balance?

Population genetics is the branch of genetics which studies the genetic composition of populations. It brings together genetics, evolution, natural selection, breeding, statistics and mathematics. It's one of those rare crossroads of multiple disciplines that gives a wider perspective to ourselves and nature.

It doesn't just answer the question of what we are, but also why we are as we are.

One of the most epic visualisations in literature must be the moment when Dr Frankenstein reanimates a dead body that is to be his monster. More than a century after Mary Shelly, the link between electricity, chemistry and biology still enthralls us. Some of the mystery was solved since, others have yet to.

But it does not take much time for us to learn the basics of how Frankenstein gave life to his monster...

What if there is an element that is similar to the almighty carbon in almost every way, but exhibits none of its functions in nature? That's the mystery of silicon, the most abundant element on Earth, and yet seems to be the unappreciated stepchild of the organic world.

I believe there's more to it that that, no?

Isn't it strange that there is a group of air-breathing mammals that lives in an environment that may result in them suffocating? Other than humans in space, the only other creatures that chose to leave their comfort zones are cetaceans (whales and porpoises).

The explanation for humans is simple: adventure and/or stupidity. But what about whales?