Text: “Mycorrhizal Networks.” UBC Botanical Garden.
“[Fungal networks] have recently been discovered by Professor Suzanne Simard and her graduate students to connect the roots of trees and facilitate the sharing of resources in Douglas-fir forests of interior British Columbia, thereby bolstering their resilience against disturbance or stress and facilitating the establishment of new regeneration.” https://botanyphoto.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/2010/03/mycorrhizal_networks/
The focus of May 2021 TOK essay Prescribed Title #3 is labels. This RLE can be used to show how labels can be used in a helpful way to organize but could also be harmful:
- The use of labels in the published research. Scientists mostly follow accepted labeling conventions. They may, however, use a label in a new way to highlight something of significance.
- Media reports about scientific research often use strong labels such as “groundbreaking.” These labels are often used to gain viewers / readers and may not have a connection to anything in the research.
- Some fiscal / social conservatives may label research projects such as this one “wasteful”