Question

Before the discovery of prions, many biologists would have agreed with the statement '' It is a fact that no infectious organism or particle can exist that lacks nucleic acid (such as DNA or RNA) ''. What lessons do prions teach us about nature, science, and scientific inquiry?

a. Prions challenge existing scientific knowledge
b. Prions support the statement
c. Prions are irrelevant to scientific inquiry
d. Prions confirm the necessity of nucleic acid in all infectious particles

Answer 1

Prions challenge the existing scientific knowledge that all infectious organisms or particles must have DNA or RNA. They teach us that our understanding of the natural world is constantly evolving and that scientific knowledge is not fixed but can be revised and expanded based on new evidence.

Step-by-step explanation:

Prions, infectious particles that contain no nucleic acids, challenge the existing scientific knowledge that all infectious organisms or particles must have DNA or RNA. Before their discovery, it was generally believed that no infectious agent or particle could exist without nucleic acid. However, the pioneering work of Stanley Prusiner, which won him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, has convinced the majority of biologists that prions do indeed exist and can cause diseases.

Prions teach us important lessons about nature, science, and scientific inquiry. They show us that our understanding of the natural world is constantly evolving and that scientific knowledge is not fixed but can be revised and expanded based on new evidence. Prions also highlights the importance of open-mindedness and skepticism in scientific inquiry, as initially, Prusiner's findings were met with skepticism before being validated.