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45-414: An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth . Astronomers observe astronomical objects , such as stars , planets , moons , comets and galaxies – in either observational (by analyzing the data) or theoretical astronomy . Examples of topics or fields astronomers study include planetary science , solar astronomy ,

90-419: A thesis (or dissertation) during an oral examination . To aid them in this endeavor, graduate students often work under the guidance of a mentor , usually a senior scientist, which may continue after the completion of their doctorates whereby they work as postdoctoral researchers . After the completion of their training, many scientists pursue careers in a variety of work settings and conditions. In 2017,

135-480: A brass hook that was holding the leg in place. The leg twitched. Further experiments confirmed this effect, and Galvani was convinced that he was seeing the effects of what he called animal electricity, the life force within the muscles of the frog. At the University of Pavia , Galvani's colleague Alessandro Volta was able to reproduce the results, but was sceptical of Galvani's explanation. Lazzaro Spallanzani

180-625: A common term in the late 19th century in the United States and around the turn of the 20th century in Great Britain . By the twentieth century, the modern notion of science as a special brand of information about the world, practiced by a distinct group and pursued through a unique method, was essentially in place. Marie Curie became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize and the first person to win it twice. Her efforts led to

225-537: A cultivator of physics, I have called him a Physicist . We need very much a name to describe a cultivator of science in general. I should incline to call him a Scientist . Thus we might say, that as an Artist is a Musician, Painter, or Poet, a Scientist is a Mathematician, Physicist, or Naturalist. He also proposed the term physicist at the same time, as a counterpart to the French word physicien . Neither term gained wide acceptance until decades later; scientist became

270-421: A few hours a month to stargazing and reading the latest developments in research. However, amateurs span the range from so-called "armchair astronomers" to the highly ambitious people who own science-grade telescopes and instruments with which they are able to make their own discoveries, create astrophotographs , and assist professional astronomers in research. Scientist In classical antiquity , there

315-438: A few weeks per year. Analysis of observed phenomena, along with making predictions as to the causes of what they observe, takes the majority of observational astronomers' time. Astronomers who serve as faculty spend much of their time teaching undergraduate and graduate classes. Most universities also have outreach programs, including public telescope time and sometimes planetariums , as a public service to encourage interest in

360-493: A mere 7 percent in 1970 to 34 percent in 1985 and in engineering alone the numbers of bachelor's degrees awarded to women rose from only 385 in 1975 to more than 11000 in 1985. Outreach Outreach is the activity of providing services to any population that might not otherwise have access to those services. A key component of outreach is that the group providing it is not stationary, but mobile; in other words, it involves meeting someone in need of an outreach service at

405-588: A profession, the scientist of today is widely recognized . However, there is no formal process to determine who is a scientist and who is not a scientist. Anyone can be a scientist in some sense. Some professions have legal requirements for their practice (e.g. licensure ) and some scientists are independent scientists meaning that they practice science on their own, but to practice science there are no known licensure requirements. In modern times, many professional scientists are trained in an academic setting (e.g., universities and research institutes ), mostly at

450-410: A result, scientific researchers often accept lower average salaries when compared with many other professions which require a similar amount of training and qualification. Scientists include experimentalists who mainly perform experiments to test hypotheses, and theoreticians who mainly develop models to explain existing data and predict new results. There is a continuum between two activities and

495-738: A system of stars or a galaxy to complete a life cycle, astronomers must observe snapshots of different systems at unique points in their evolution to determine how they form, evolve, and die. They use this data to create models or simulations to theorize how different celestial objects work. Further subcategories under these two main branches of astronomy include planetary astronomy , astrobiology , stellar astronomy , astrometry , galactic astronomy , extragalactic astronomy , or physical cosmology . Astronomers can also specialize in certain specialties of observational astronomy, such as infrared astronomy , neutrino astronomy , x-ray astronomy , and gravitational-wave astronomy . Historically , astronomy

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540-456: A widely regarded prestigious award, is awarded annually to those who have achieved scientific advances in the fields of medicine , physics , and chemistry . Some scientists have a desire to apply scientific knowledge for the benefit of people's health, the nations, the world, nature, or industries (academic scientist and industrial scientist ). Scientists tend to be less motivated by direct financial reward for their work than other careers. As

585-523: Is considered by many to be the "final frontier". There are many important discoveries to make regarding the nature of the mind and human thought , much of which still remains unknown. The number of scientists is vastly different from country to country. For instance, there are only four full-time scientists per 10,000 workers in India, while this number is 79 for the United Kingdom, and 85 for

630-549: Is one of the most influential figures in experimental physiology and the natural sciences. His investigations have exerted a lasting influence on the medical sciences. He made important contributions to the experimental study of bodily functions and animal reproduction. Francesco Redi discovered that microorganisms can cause disease . Until the late 19th or early 20th century, scientists were still referred to as " natural philosophers " or "men of science". English philosopher and historian of science William Whewell coined

675-428: The quadrivium —mathematics, including astronomy. Hence, the medieval analogs of scientists were often either philosophers or mathematicians. Knowledge of plants and animals was broadly the province of physicians. Science in medieval Islam generated some new modes of developing natural knowledge, although still within the bounds of existing social roles such as philosopher and mathematician. Many proto-scientists from

720-613: The British Association for the Advancement of Science had been complaining at recent meetings about the lack of a good term for "students of the knowledge of the material world collectively." Alluding to himself, he noted that "some ingenious gentleman proposed that, by analogy with artist , they might form [the word] scientist , and added that there could be no scruple in making free with this term since we already have such words as economist , and atheist —but this

765-485: The Islamic Golden Age are considered polymaths , in part because of the lack of anything corresponding to modern scientific disciplines . Many of these early polymaths were also religious priests and theologians : for example, Alhazen and al-Biruni were mutakallimiin ; the physician Avicenna was a hafiz ; the physician Ibn al-Nafis was a hafiz, muhaddith and ulema ; the botanist Otto Brunfels

810-505: The Roman Empire and, with the spread of Christianity , became closely linked to religious institutions in most European countries. Astrology and astronomy became an important area of knowledge, and the role of astronomer/astrologer developed with the support of political and religious patronage . By the time of the medieval university system, knowledge was divided into the trivium —philosophy, including natural philosophy —and

855-789: The Scientific Revolution that began in 16th century as the period when science in a recognizably modern form developed. It was not until the 19th century that sufficient socioeconomic changes had occurred for scientists to emerge as a major profession. Knowledge about nature in classical antiquity was pursued by many kinds of scholars. Greek contributions to science—including works of geometry and mathematical astronomy, early accounts of biological processes and catalogs of plants and animals, and theories of knowledge and learning—were produced by philosophers and physicians , as well as practitioners of various trades. These roles, and their associations with scientific knowledge, spread with

900-568: The origin or evolution of stars , or the formation of galaxies . A related but distinct subject is physical cosmology , which studies the Universe as a whole. Astronomers usually fall under either of two main types: observational and theoretical . Observational astronomers make direct observations of celestial objects and analyze the data. In contrast, theoretical astronomers create and investigate models of things that cannot be observed. Because it takes millions to billions of years for

945-519: The British scientific journal Nature published the results of a large-scale survey of more than 5,700 doctoral students worldwide, asking them which sectors of the economy they would like to work in. A little over half of the respondents wanted to pursue a career in academia, with smaller proportions hoping to work in industry, government, and nonprofit environments. Other motivations are recognition by their peers and prestige. The Nobel Prize ,

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990-544: The PhD level and beyond (as of 2024). Contrary to the classical image of an old astronomer peering through a telescope through the dark hours of the night, it is far more common to use a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera to record a long, deep exposure, allowing a more sensitive image to be created because the light is added over time. Before CCDs, photographic plates were a common method of observation. Modern astronomers spend relatively little time at telescopes, usually just

1035-551: The United States. According to the National Science Foundation , 4.7 million people with science degrees worked in the United States in 2015, across all disciplines and employment sectors. The figure included twice as many men as women. Of that total, 17% worked in academia, that is, at universities and undergraduate institutions, and men held 53% of those positions. 5% of scientists worked for

1080-419: The core sciences, a competency examination, experience with teaching undergraduates and participating in outreach programs, work on research projects under the student's supervising professor, completion of a PhD thesis , and passing a final oral exam . Throughout the PhD training, a successful student is financially supported with a stipend . While there is a relatively low number of professional astronomers,

1125-618: The development of nuclear energy and Radiotherapy for the treatment of cancer. In 1922, she was appointed a member of the International Commission on Intellectual Co-operation by the Council of the League of Nations. She campaigned for scientist's right to patent their discoveries and inventions. She also campaigned for free access to international scientific literature and for internationally recognized scientific symbols. As

1170-411: The development of science) have had widely different places in society, and the social norms , ethical values , and epistemic virtues associated with scientists—and expected of them—have changed over time as well. Accordingly, many different historical figures can be identified as early scientists, depending on which characteristics of modern science are taken to be essential. Some historians point to

1215-553: The division between them is not clear-cut, with many scientists performing both tasks. Those considering science as a career often look to the frontiers. These include cosmology and biology , especially molecular biology and the human genome project. Other areas of active research include the exploration of matter at the scale of elementary particles as described by high-energy physics , and materials science , which seeks to discover and design new materials. Others choose to study brain function and neurotransmitters , which

1260-465: The federal government, and about 3.5% were self-employed. Of the latter two groups, two-thirds were men. 59% of scientists in the United States were employed in industry or business, and another 6% worked in non-profit positions. Scientist and engineering statistics are usually intertwined, but they indicate that women enter the field far less than men, though this gap is narrowing. The number of science and engineering doctorates awarded to women rose from

1305-473: The field is popular among amateurs . Most cities have amateur astronomy clubs that meet on a regular basis and often host star parties . The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is the largest general astronomical society in the world, comprising both professional and amateur astronomers as well as educators from 70 different nations. As with any hobby , most people who practice amateur astronomy may devote

1350-487: The field. Those who become astronomers usually have a broad background in physics, mathematics , sciences, and computing in high school. Taking courses that teach how to research, write, and present papers are part of the higher education of an astronomer, while most astronomers attain both a Master's degree and eventually a PhD degree in astronomy, physics or astrophysics . PhD training typically involves 5-6 years of study, including completion of upper-level courses in

1395-431: The ideas behind computers , and some of the foundations of statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics . Many mathematically inclined scientists, including Galileo , were also musicians . There are many compelling stories in medicine and biology , such as the development of ideas about the circulation of blood from Galen to Harvey . Some scholars and historians attributes Christianity to having contributed to

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1440-522: The level of graduate schools . Upon completion, they would normally attain an academic degree , with the highest degree being a doctorate such as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Although graduate education for scientists varies among institutions and countries, some common training requirements include specializing in an area of interest, publishing research findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presenting them at scientific conferences , giving lectures or teaching , and defending

1485-422: The location where they are. Compared with traditional service providers, outreach services are provided closer to where people may reside, efforts are very often voluntary, and have fewer, if any, enforceable obligations. In addition to delivering services, outreach has an educational role, raising the awareness of existing services. It includes identification of under-served populations and service referral and

1530-693: The majority of their time working on research, although they quite often have other duties such as teaching, building instruments, or aiding in the operation of an observatory. The American Astronomical Society , which is the major organization of professional astronomers in North America , has approximately 8,200 members (as of 2024). This number includes scientists from other fields such as physics, geology , and engineering , whose research interests are closely related to astronomy. The International Astronomical Union comprises about 12,700 members from 92 countries who are involved in astronomical research at

1575-427: The rise of the Scientific Revolution . During the age of Enlightenment, Luigi Galvani , the pioneer of bioelectromagnetics , discovered animal electricity. He discovered that a charge applied to the spinal cord of a frog could generate muscular spasms throughout its body. Charges could make frog legs jump even if the legs were no longer attached to a frog. While cutting a frog leg, Galvani's steel scalpel touched

1620-504: The same time as Leibniz ). He provided a comprehensive formulation of classical mechanics and investigated light and optics. Fourier founded a new branch of mathematics — infinite, periodic series — studied heat flow and infrared radiation , and discovered the greenhouse effect . Girolamo Cardano , Blaise Pascal Pierre de Fermat , Von Neumann , Turing , Khinchin , Markov and Wiener , all mathematicians, made major contributions to science and probability theory , including

1665-647: The term scientist in 1833, and it first appeared in print in Whewell's anonymous 1834 review of Mary Somerville 's On the Connexion of the Physical Sciences published in the Quarterly Review . Whewell wrote of "an increasing proclivity of separation and dismemberment" in the sciences; while highly specific terms proliferated—chemist, mathematician, naturalist—the broad term "philosopher"

1710-455: The thermometer and telescope which allowed him to observe and clearly describe the solar system. Descartes was not only a pioneer of analytic geometry but formulated a theory of mechanics and advanced ideas about the origins of animal movement and perception . Vision interested the physicists Young and Helmholtz , who also studied optics , hearing and music . Newton extended Descartes's mathematics by inventing calculus (at

1755-684: The use of outreach tools like leaflets, newsletters, advertising stalls and displays, and dedicated events. Outreach is often meant to fill in the gap in the services provided by mainstream (often governmental) services, and is often carried out by non-profit , nongovernmental organizations . There are many different types of outreach, but they can be categorized into these four groupings: domiciliary (undertaken at individual homes), detached (undertaken in public environments and targeting individuals), peripatetic (undertaken at public or private environments and targeting organizations rather than individuals), and satellite outreach (where services are provided at

1800-659: Was a theologian and historian of Protestantism; the astronomer and physician Nicolaus Copernicus was a priest. During the Italian Renaissance scientists like Leonardo da Vinci , Michelangelo , Galileo Galilei and Gerolamo Cardano have been considered the most recognizable polymaths. During the Renaissance , Italians made substantial contributions in science. Leonardo da Vinci made significant discoveries in paleontology and anatomy. The Father of modern Science, Galileo Galilei , made key improvements on

1845-411: Was coined by the theologian , philosopher , and historian of science William Whewell in 1833. The roles of "scientists", and their predecessors before the emergence of modern scientific disciplines, have evolved considerably over time. Scientists of different eras (and before them, natural philosophers, mathematicians, natural historians, natural theologians, engineers, and others who contributed to

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1890-497: Was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using physical laws . Today, that distinction has mostly disappeared and the terms "astronomer" and "astrophysicist" are interchangeable. Professional astronomers are highly educated individuals who typically have a PhD in physics or astronomy and are employed by research institutions or universities. They spend

1935-417: Was no longer satisfactory to group together those who pursued science, without the caveats of "natural" or "experimental" philosopher. Whewell compared these increasing divisions with Somerville's aim of "[rendering] a most important service to science" "by showing how detached branches have, in the history of science, united by the discovery of general principles." Whewell reported in his review that members of

1980-439: Was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engaged in the philosophical study of nature called natural philosophy , a precursor of natural science . Though Thales ( c.  624–545 BC) was arguably the first scientist for describing how cosmic events may be seen as natural, not necessarily caused by gods, it was not until the 19th century that the term scientist came into regular use after it

2025-512: Was not generally palatable". Whewell proposed the word again more seriously (and not anonymously) in his 1840 The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences : The terminations ize (rather than ise ), ism , and ist , are applied to words of all origins: thus we have to pulverize , to colonize , Witticism , Heathenism , Journalist , Tobacconist . Hence we may make such words when they are wanted. As we cannot use physician for

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