--- 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 mathematics.\" — Magnu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/magnus-pyke-74202_biology_if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks_153229.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 mathematics.” quote by Magnus Pyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/magnus-pyke-74202_biology_if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks_153229.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/magnus-pyke-74202_biology_if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks_153229.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/magnus-pyke-74202_biology_if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks_153229.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 mathematics.” 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 are humorously linked to the nature of the problem they address. **In simple terms:** Science fields match problem types. Key Takeaway Identify the right discipline for a problem. Themes science humor discipline Mood lighthearted educational Type aphilosophical humorous When to use this quote - lab research - teaching - problem solving - interdisciplinary projects Key Concepts biology chemistry physics mathematics Questions to Reflect On - Which field best fits your current challenge? - How does humor aid learning? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex interdisciplinary work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Chemistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chemistry/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) ## 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 mathamatics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-pyke/if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks-it-s-chemistry-if-it-doesn-t-2/) Magnus Pyke > [A first fact should surprise us, or rather would surprise us if we were not used to it. 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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/) > [My agent had warned that, while a fine film would do my profile a world of good, a bad one wouldn't help me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/my-agent-had-warned-that-while-a-fine-film-would-do-my-profile-a/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [It is rare to find learned men who are clean, do not stink and have a sense of humour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/it-is-rare-to-find-learned-men-who-are-clean-do-not-stink-and-have-a/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [“He'd gone from sixteen to seventy-five in a matter of seconds, but the old-man smell happened instantly, like boom. Congratulations! You stink!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/he-d-gone-from-sixteen-to-seventy-five-in-a-matter-of-seconds-but-the/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Like your booty don't stink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/like-your-booty-don-t-stink/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [You cannot just allow your team to stink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-laettner/you-cannot-just-allow-your-team-to-stink/) [Christian Laettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-laettner/) > [I've always said about 50% of what happens at a concert has to do with the audience. If you play for a dead audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-ve-always-said-about-50-of-what-happens-at-a-concert-has-to-do-with/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [The military mind is indeed a menace. Old-fashioned futurity that sees only men fighting and dying in smoke and fire; hears nothing more civilized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-casey/the-military-mind-is-indeed-a-menace-old-fashioned-futurity-that-sees/) [Sean O'Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-casey/) ## 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 mathamatics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-pyke/if-it-squirms-it-s-biology-if-it-stinks-it-s-chemistry-if-it-doesn-t-2/) 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. 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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. 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