1.Think about the broader implications of your topic. What implications does it have for society in general, not just for biologists like yourselves?

This is a great topic for biologists to study because there is a vast amount of information that is not only known, but also unknown. Because there is so much information on this topic, there has been a very large number of experiments and testing done as well. I believe one of the biggest implications that this topic has in our society today would be the psychological benefits of exercising and physical activity. Mental health is a huge problem that runs rampant throughout our society currently, and exercising is known to release “feel good” chemicals such as endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. All these chemicals have been studied and are linked to depression; the lack of them result in poor moods, while an abundance of them is linked to better moods.

2. Do you also see similar concerns, keeping broader impacts in mind, in the articles you’ve been reading?

Being physically active and working out has an endless number of benefits for a human from increased artery health to decreased prevalence of depression. Despite that being the case, there are some concerns that come along with being physically active, typically for a very extended period of time. The main concern that I have come across the most often while researching this topic would have to be the risk of injury, which is typically caused by poor form and overexertion. Poor form is something that can be easily avoided; however, people still do not do proper research on how to do certain movements, which can cause injury. A great example of this is how deadlifting incorrectly can severely injure your back. Overexertion is also common among runners, typically in a very warm climate.

3. Do expert scientists in the various fields that you’ve encountered seem to be thinking about the “big picture”? Give an example of such a case.

I believe that for the most part the majority of scientists I have encountered have been thinking about the “big picture”. In my opinion, the big picture is all about feeling better and most of the scientists I have come across agree with this statement. The example in my case is majority of scientists backing up the claim that exercising increases mental and physical health. For the most part, all of the sources I have stumbled across have all offered information on how physical activity and exercising can help physically and mentally. However, even the sources and scientists that have an opposing view on this topic do not have the ability to argue with the facts, such as exercising releasing chemicals that are linked to increased emotions. That being said, I would argue that majority of expert scientists, those in the field of physical activity, and even those outside of that particular field, are all after one main goal, which is to find out more information to improve a specific field.