---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it squirms, it's biology. If it…"
description: "\"“If it squirms, it's biology. If it stinks, it's chemistry. If it doesn't work, it's physics. And if you can't understand it, it's mathamatics.”\" — Mag..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/magnus-pyke-74202_biology_if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks_654858.jpg"
---

#  If it squirms, it's biology. If it stinks, it's chemistry…

![“If it squirms, it's biology. If it stinks, it's chemistry. If it doesn't work, it's physics. And if you can't understand it, it's mathamatics.” quote by Magnus Pyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/magnus-pyke-74202_biology_if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks_654858.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/magnus-pyke-74202_biology_if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks_654858.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/magnus-pyke-74202_biology_if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks_654858.jpg)

> ““If it squirms, it's biology. If it stinks, it's chemistry. If it doesn't work, it's physics. And if you can't understand it, it's mathamatics.””

Magnus Pyke

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Different scientific fields explain phenomena: biology for living movement, chemistry for odors, physics for function, math for understanding.

**In simple terms:** Science uses specific disciplines to explain the world.

Key Takeaway

Apply the right discipline to each problem.

Themes

science discipline explanation

Mood

curious analytical

Type

educational inspirational

When to use this quote

- research
- education
- problem solving
- innovation

Key Concepts

biology chemistry physics mathematics

Questions to Reflect On

- What problem requires interdisciplinary insight?
- How do you choose the appropriate field?

A Different Perspective

Complex issues may span multiple fields, not just one.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Chemistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chemistry/) [Science and technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-and-technology/)

## Related quotes

> [If it squirms, it's biology; if it stinks, it's chemistry; if it doesn't work, it's physics; and if you can't understand it, it's mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-pyke/if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks-it-s-chemistry-if-it-doesn-t/)

Magnus Pyke

> [“Chemistry doesn't discriminate as to timing, looks, or circumstance. It's there to be recognized and play out, regardless of environment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marata-eros/chemistry-doesn-t-discriminate-as-to-timing-looks-or-circumstance-it/)

[Marata Eros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marata-eros/)

> [“So what if we have chemistry. Chemistry doesn't miraculously turn bad boys into good ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/so-what-if-we-have-chemistry-chemistry-doesn-t-miraculously-turn-bad/)

[Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/)

> [Just because you have chemistry with someone doesn't mean you're naturally going to be the best for each other. You have make choices and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-peregrym/just-because-you-have-chemistry-with-someone-doesn-t-mean-you-re/)

[Missy Peregrym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-peregrym/)

> [“Beauty fades, a good personality and chemistry doesn’t. “I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-zapata/beauty-fades-a-good-personality-and-chemistry-doesn-t-i/)

[Mariana Zapata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-zapata/)

> [The success of this Government, and thus the success of our Nation, depends in the last analysis upon the quality.of our career services. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/the-success-of-this-government-and-thus-the-success-of-our-nation/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

> [No industry or country can reach its full potential until women reach their full potential. This is especially true of science and technology, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/no-industry-or-country-can-reach-its-full-potential-until-women-reach/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [patriarchal academic hierarchies in science and technology are now overspecialized and abstract, perhaps because they have systematically excluded women, as well as minorities, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-henderson/patriarchal-academic-hierarchies-in-science-and-technology-are-now/)

[Hazel Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-henderson/)

> [The telephone is the most important single technological resource of later life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-comfort/the-telephone-is-the-most-important-single-technological-resource-of/)

[Alex Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-comfort/)

> [Science is not marginal. Like art, it is a universal possession of humanity, and scientific knowledge has become a vital part of our species'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/science-is-not-marginal-like-art-it-is-a-universal-possession-of/)

[E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/)

> [Transhumanism literally means "beyond human." It's using science and technology to radically change and improve the human species and experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-istvan/transhumanism-literally-means-beyond-human-it-s-using-science-and/)

[Zoltan Istvan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-istvan/)

> [Science and technology have been embarrassed by two world wars, many smaller ones, and the spread of weapons that could destroy humanity. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keating/science-and-technology-have-been-embarrassed-by-two-world-wars-many/)

[Thomas Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keating/)

> [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/)

[John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/)

> [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/)

[Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/)

## More by Magnus Pyke

> [If it squirms, it's biology; if it stinks, it's chemistry; if it doesn't work, it's physics; and if you can't understand it, it's mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-pyke/if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks-it-s-chemistry-if-it-doesn-t/)

Magnus Pyke

> [Meat is a status dish in which the sizzle counts for more than the nutritional worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-pyke/meat-is-a-status-dish-in-which-the-sizzle-counts-for-more-than-the/)

Magnus Pyke

> [The only way to be absolutely safe is to never try anything for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-pyke/the-only-way-to-be-absolutely-safe-is-to-never-try-anything-for-the/)

Magnus Pyke

Explore all 4 Magnus Pyke quotes

## More Biology quotes

> [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/)

[Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/)

> [“Genetics is a science full of gods, Mr. Sanchez.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/genetics-is-a-science-full-of-gods-mr-sanchez/)

[Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/)

> [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/)

[Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/)

> [Evolution happens in jumps, very rapidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/evolution-happens-in-jumps-very-rapidly/)

[Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/)

> [“Toshiaki learned that all living organisms were governed by their DNA. He was impressed by perfection of this system.Why did existence have the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-sena/toshiaki-learned-that-all-living-organisms-were-governed-by-their-dna/)

Hideaki Sena

> [I'm all about evolution. I'm the first person to judge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/i-m-all-about-evolution-i-m-the-first-person-to-judge-myself/)

[The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/)

> [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/)

[Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/)

> [I think the ethics and morals of genetic engineering are very complicated. It intrigues me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spottiswoode/i-think-the-ethics-and-morals-of-genetic-engineering-are-very/)

[Roger Spottiswoode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spottiswoode/)

> [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/)

[Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/)

> [“A note of caution: epigenetics is also on the verge of transforming into a dangerous idea. Epigenetic modifications of genes can potentially superpose historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/a-note-of-caution-epigenetics-is-also-on-the-verge-of-transforming/)

[Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/)

> [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/)

[Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/)

> [We are coming to a place where the road ends. From here on out, we will be making the road as we walk it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-atlee/we-are-coming-to-a-place-where-the-road-ends-from-here-on-out-we-will/)

Tom Atlee

> [I've always been interested in medicine and was pleased when my brother became a doctor. But after thinking seriously about that field, I realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-medicine-and-was-pleased-when-my/)

[Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/)

> [Evolution... is the most powerful and the most comprehensive idea that has ever arisen on Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-huxley/evolution-is-the-most-powerful-and-the-most-comprehensive-idea-that/)

[Julian Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-huxley/)

> [History employs evolution to structure biological events in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/history-employs-evolution-to-structure-biological-events-in-time/)

[Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/)

[Browse all 3,034 Biology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“If it squirms, it's biology. If it stinks, it's chemistry. If it doesn't work, it's physics. And if you can't understand it, it's mathamatics.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Magnus Pyke"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-pyke/if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks-it-s-chemistry-if-it-doesn-t-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Biology"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-pyke/if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks-it-s-chemistry-if-it-doesn-t-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/magnus-pyke-74202_biology_if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks_654858.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/magnus-pyke-74202_biology_if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks_654858.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/magnus-pyke-74202_biology_if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks_654858.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If it squirms, it's biology. If it stinks, it's chemistry. If it doesn't work, it's physics. And if you…” — Magnus Pyke",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Magnus Pyke",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magnus-pyke/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“If it squirms, it's biology. If...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-pyke/if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks-it-s-chemistry-if-it-doesn-t-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-pyke/if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks-it-s-chemistry-if-it-doesn-t-2/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
