--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Physics was the first of the natural…" description: "\"Physics was the first of the natural sciences to become fully modern and highly mathematical.Chemistry followed in the wake of physics, but biology, th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/270/michael-crichton-694_behinds_physics-was-the-first-of-the-natural-sci_564788.jpg" --- # Physics was the first of the natural sciences to become… ![“Physics was the first of the natural sciences to become fully modern and highly mathematical.Chemistry followed in the wake of physics, but biology, the retarded child, lagged far behind.” quote by Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/270/michael-crichton-694_behinds_physics-was-the-first-of-the-natural-sci_564788.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/270/michael-crichton-694_behinds_physics-was-the-first-of-the-natural-sci_564788.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/270/michael-crichton-694_behinds_physics-was-the-first-of-the-natural-sci_564788.jpg) > “Physics was the first of the natural sciences to become fully modern and highly mathematical.Chemistry followed in the wake of physics, but biology, the retarded child, lagged far behind.” [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physics leads modern scientific development; chemistry follows; biology lags behind. **In simple terms:** Physics modern, biology lags. Key Takeaway Support biology's advancement. Themes science progress discipline Mood analytical critical Type explanatory historical When to use this quote - education curricula - research funding - policy making - public outreach Key Concepts history of science interdisciplinary research Questions to Reflect On - Why is biology slower to modernize? - How can we accelerate biological research? A Different Perspective Biology's complexity may require different approaches. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Chemistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chemistry/) [Chemistry Followed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chemistry-followed-4674479/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Mathematical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematical/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-science/) [Natural Sciences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-sciences-309804/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Physics Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics-biology-925078/) [Physics Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics-natural-3236575/) [Retarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retarded/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Sciences Fully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sciences-fully-4674478/) ## Related quotes > [The methods of the natural sciences cannot be applied to human behavior because this behaviorlacks the peculiarity that characterizes events in the field of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-methods-of-the-natural-sciences-cannot-be-applied-to-human/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [A … difference between most system-building in the social sciences and systems of thought and classification of the natural sciences is to be seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-joseph-henderson/a-difference-between-most-system-building-in-the-social-sciences-and/) [Lawrence Joseph Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-joseph-henderson/) > [The book one must read to learn natural sciences is the book of nature. The book from which to learn religion is your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-book-one-must-read-to-learn-natural-sciences-is-the-book-of/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Almost everyone... seems to be quite sure that the differences between the methodologies of history and of the natural sciences are vast. For, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/almost-everyone-seems-to-be-quite-sure-that-the-differences-between/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“Astronomy is, not without reason, regarded, by mankind, as the sublimest of the natural sciences. Its objects so frequently visible, and therefore familiar, being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-silliman/astronomy-is-not-without-reason-regarded-by-mankind-as-the-sublimest/) [Benjamin Silliman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-silliman/) > [There are few humanities that could surpass in discipline, in beauty, in emotional and aesthetic satisfaction, those humanities which are called mathematics, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-watson-watt/there-are-few-humanities-that-could-surpass-in-discipline-in-beauty/) [Robert Watson-Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-watson-watt/) > [The social sciences offer equal promise for improving human welfare; our lives can be greatly improved through a deeper understanding of individual and collective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-a-christakis/the-social-sciences-offer-equal-promise-for-improving-human-welfare/) [Nicholas A. Christakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-a-christakis/) > [If we conceive all the changes in the physical world as reducible to the motion of atoms, motions generated by means of the fixed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-dilthey/if-we-conceive-all-the-changes-in-the-physical-world-as-reducible-to/) [Wilhelm Dilthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-dilthey/) > [There's this old saying that, if you aren't particularly gifted in natural sciences, if you don't want to become a teacher or pastor or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/there-s-this-old-saying-that-if-you-aren-t-particularly-gifted-in/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [The natural sciences are sometimes said to have no concern with values, nor to seek morality and goodness, and therefore belong to an inferior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/the-natural-sciences-are-sometimes-said-to-have-no-concern-with/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [The prime lesson the social sciences can learn from the natural sciences is just this: that it is necessary to press on to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-benedict/the-prime-lesson-the-social-sciences-can-learn-from-the-natural/) [Ruth Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-benedict/) > [Natural Magick is taken to be nothing else, but the chief power of all the natural Sciences; which therefore they call the top and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-cornelius-agrippa/natural-magick-is-taken-to-be-nothing-else-but-the-chief-power-of-all/) [Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-cornelius-agrippa/) > [Astronomy was the cradle of the natural sciences and the starting point of geometrical theories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-lanczos/astronomy-was-the-cradle-of-the-natural-sciences-and-the-starting/) [Cornelius Lanczos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-lanczos/) > [The progress of mankind is due exclusively to the progress of natural sciences, not to morals, religion or philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-progress-of-mankind-is-due-exclusively-to-the-progress-of-natural/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is in the universe something for the description and analysis of which the natural sciences cannot contribute anything. There are events beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/there-is-in-the-universe-something-for-the-description-and-analysis/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) ## More by Michael Crichton > [They are focused on whether they can do something. They never think whether they should do something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/they-are-focused-on-whether-they-can-do-something-they-never-think/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-is-the-gift-of-your-species-and-this-is-the-danger-because-you/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [“it is important to recognize that the behavior of the two antagonists mirrors each other, like a Rorschach inkblot. The value of a Rorschach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/it-is-important-to-recognize-that-the-behavior-of-the-two-antagonists/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Exercise invigorates the body and sharpens the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/exercise-invigorates-the-body-and-sharpens-the-mind/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Social control is best managed through fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/social-control-is-best-managed-through-fear/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [They always say they didn't. I never heard of one who said, 'You know, I deserve this.' Never happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/they-always-say-they-didn-t-i-never-heard-of-one-who-said-you-know-i/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Friendships are nice. So is competence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/friendships-are-nice-so-is-competence/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [I can tell you that second hand smoke is not a health hazard to anyone and never was, and the EPA has always known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/i-can-tell-you-that-second-hand-smoke-is-not-a-health-hazard-to/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [As the practical value of altering consciousness becomes recognized, procedures to effect these alterations will become increasingly ordinary and unremarkable. The whole concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/as-the-practical-value-of-altering-consciousness-becomes-recognized/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [In any case, you read with exasperation or amusement the multiple errors in a story-and then turn the page to national or international affairs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/in-any-case-you-read-with-exasperation-or-amusement-the-multiple/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Books aren't written - they're rewritten. Including your own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/books-aren-t-written-they-re-rewritten-including-your-own-it-is-one/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [The purpose of life is to stay alive. Watch any animal in nature--all it tries to do is stay alive. It doesn't care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/the-purpose-of-life-is-to-stay-alive-watch-any-animal-in-nature-all/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [One of the things that Americans, as a multiracial society, feel is a tremendous sensitivity to racial comments of all kinds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/one-of-the-things-that-americans-as-a-multiracial-society-feel-is-a/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Nobody smart knows what they want to do until they get into their twenties or thirties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/nobody-smart-knows-what-they-want-to-do-until-they-get-into-their/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [This fascination with computer models is something I understand very well. Richard Feynmann called it a disease. I fear he is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-fascination-with-computer-models-is-something-i-understand-very/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) [Explore all 386 Michael Crichton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) [Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Physics was the first of the natural sciences to become fully modern and highly mathematical.Chemistry followed in the wake of physics, but biology, the retarded child, lagged far behind.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Crichton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/physics-was-the-first-of-the-natural-sciences-to-become-fully-modern/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/physics-was-the-first-of-the-natural-sciences-to-become-fully-modern/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/270/michael-crichton-694_behinds_physics-was-the-first-of-the-natural-sci_564788.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/270/michael-crichton-694_behinds_physics-was-the-first-of-the-natural-sci_564788.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/270/michael-crichton-694_behinds_physics-was-the-first-of-the-natural-sci_564788.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Physics was the first of the natural sciences to become fully modern and highly mathematical.Chemistry…” — Michael Crichton", "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": "Michael Crichton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Physics was the first of the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/physics-was-the-first-of-the-natural-sciences-to-become-fully-modern/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/physics-was-the-first-of-the-natural-sciences-to-become-fully-modern/#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 } } ] } ```