The Taxonomy of Candy

thebrainscoop

24 Mar 201606:32

Summary

TLDRIn a playful twist on taxonomy, experts from the Field Museum in Chicago classify candies like Skittles, M&Ms, and Jellybeans based on their characteristics and similarities. The exercise highlights the art of taxonomy, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing items based on their features rather than superficial traits. It delves into the philosophical aspects of classification, questioning whether we impose order or if the world inherently presents itself in an organized manner.

Takeaways

📚 Taxonomy is the science of classification and naming, which can be applied to any field, not just biology.
🔍 Experts from the Field Museum in Chicago discuss the process of classifying candies using taxonomic principles.
🍫 Olivier Rieppel emphasizes that classification is based on similarities, whether it's organisms or inanimate objects like candy.
🔬 Janet Voight highlights the importance of distinguishing new findings from existing species in taxonomy.
🍬 The team uses a hands-on approach to classify candies, considering factors like shape, content, and color.
🤔 Margaret Thayer suggests that investigating the contents of candies is crucial for accurate classification.
😋 Larry Heaney humorously notes the flexibility in classifying candy, as opposed to the strict rules in biological taxonomy.
🍭 Olivier discusses the challenge of classifying candies based on color alone, as many candies have a mix of colors.
🧐 Janet uses the example of Reese's Pieces to illustrate the uniformity of shape despite color variation.
🍫 Emily, the host, brings up the idea of classifying based on candy contents, such as chocolate or jelly.
🌈 Margaret proposes that if Jelly Bellies were to be classified, they might form a genus with their various flavors as different species.
📝 Janet describes the scientific method of classification, which involves research, comparison, and literature review.
🧠 Olivier and Emily delve into the philosophical implications of classification, questioning whether we impose order or if the world is inherently ordered.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?
-The main topic of the video script is the concept of taxonomy and its application to the classification of candy.
Who are the experts involved in the video script?
-The experts involved are Olivier Rieppel, Janet Voight, Larry Heaney, and Margaret Thayer, all from the Field Museum in Chicago.
What is Olivier Rieppel's role at the Field Museum?
-Olivier Rieppel is the Roe family curator of evolutionary biology at the Field Museum in Chicago.
What is Janet Voight's position at the Field Museum?
-Janet Voight is a MacArthur Associate Curator at the Field Museum in the Integrative Research Center.
What is Larry Heaney's title at the Field Museum?
-Larry Heaney is the Negaunee Curator of Mammals at the Field Museum of Natural History.
What does Margaret Thayer specialize in studying at the Field Museum?
-Margaret Thayer specializes in studying insects, particularly beetles, as a curator emeritus at the Field Museum.
What is the general approach to classifying candy as discussed in the script?
-The general approach to classifying candy involves looking at similarities such as shape, contents, and color, similar to how organisms are classified.
What does Janet Voight suggest is an important aspect of taxonomy?
-Janet Voight suggests that separating the new thing that you think you've found as much as possible from every other species that looks like it is an important aspect of taxonomy.
What does Olivier Rieppel imply about the classification of candy?
-Olivier Rieppel implies that while there are many ways to classify candy, it's not as straightforward as classifying organisms based on evolutionary relationships.
What does Margaret Thayer suggest about the Jelly Belly candies?
-Margaret Thayer suggests that if the taxonomy of Jelly Belly candies were worked out, they might be considered a genus with the 36 different flavors being different species.
What philosophical question does the script touch upon regarding classification?
-The script touches upon the philosophical question of whether humans bring order to the world through classification or if the world inherently comes to us in an ordered way.
What is the humorous approach taken by Larry Heaney towards candy classification?
-Larry Heaney humorously suggests that with candy, unlike with organisms, you can group them any way you want, even by color, because they don't share a common ancestor.

Outlines

00:00

🍭 The Taxonomy of Candy

In this first paragraph, the concept of taxonomy is introduced as a complex and intriguing scientific field focused on the classification and naming of entities. The video script sets the stage for a unique experiment involving taxonomists from the Field Museum in Chicago. Emily, the host, proposes a hands-on approach to taxonomy by examining a variety of candies, including Skittles, M&Ms, Nerd, Starbursts, Reese's Pieces, Jellybeans, and chocolate-covered peanuts. The goal is to explore the principles of taxonomy in a fun and unconventional way, by having the experts classify these sweets based on their similarities and differences.

05:02

🔍 Classification and Evolutionary Relationships

The second paragraph delves deeper into the classification process, highlighting the difference between classifying organisms based on evolutionary relationships and classifying objects like candy based on their physical similarities. Olivier emphasizes the goal of revealing evolutionary relationships in biological classification, while Larry points out the arbitrary nature of classifying candy, suggesting that one could group them by color or other attributes. Janet discusses the process of comparing new findings with existing literature and specimens to understand differences and similarities. The conversation touches on the philosophical aspects of classification, questioning whether humans impose order on the world or if the world presents itself in an ordered manner.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Taxonomy

Taxonomy is the scientific discipline responsible for the classification of organisms based on their evolutionary relationships. In the video, taxonomy is humorously applied to candy classification, highlighting the universality of the concept of categorization. For example, Olivier mentions that 'organisms you classify according to illusionary relationships, with candy, or office furniture, or whatever you classify according to similarities.'

💡Curator

A curator is a professional responsible for managing collections, often in a museum or research institution. The video features several curators from the Field Museum in Chicago, who bring their expertise in taxonomy to the playful task of classifying candy. Janet Voight is introduced as a 'MacArthur Associate Curator,' emphasizing her role in the museum's research center.

💡Evolutionary Biology

Evolutionary biology is the study of how organisms change over time through the process of evolution. Olivier Rieppel, the 'Roe family curator of evolutionary biology,' represents this field in the video, suggesting that the principles of evolutionary relationships can be applied to unconventional subjects like candy.

💡Species

A species is a group of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring. The video script references a previous episode on 'What is a Species,' indicating the complexity of defining a species and setting the stage for the playful exploration of candy classification.

💡Classification

Classification is the process of organizing things into groups based on shared characteristics. The video's theme revolves around this concept, as the curators attempt to classify candy using various criteria. Janet states, 'the art of taxonomy requires that you actually separate that new thing that you think you've found as much as you can from every other species that looks like it.'

💡Candy

Candy refers to a diverse group of sweet confections, which are the subjects of classification in the video. The script lists various types of candy, such as Skittles, M&Ms, and Jellybeans, to demonstrate the application of taxonomic principles to everyday objects.

💡Insects

Insects are a class of invertebrates, and Margaret Thayer, a curator emeritus, specializes in their study. While insects are not the main focus of the video, Margaret's expertise in insect taxonomy provides a contrast to the candy classification, showing the diversity of subjects that can be classified.

💡Evolutionary Relationships

Evolutionary relationships refer to the connections between different species based on their shared ancestry and evolutionary history. Olivier discusses the goal of classification in terms of organisms, stating, 'the goal of classification is to bring out their evolutionary relationships,' which is a key principle in taxonomy.

💡Philosophical Rabbit Hole

The term 'philosophical rabbit hole' is used metaphorically to describe a deep and complex line of inquiry or thought. In the video, the discussion of candy classification leads to a philosophical debate about the nature of classification and its implications for understanding the world, as Olivier and Emily ponder whether 'it is us bringing order to the world? Or does the world come to us in an ordered way?'

💡Jelly Belly

Jelly Belly is a brand of jelly beans known for their wide variety of flavors. Emily mentions having 'done extensive work on the taxonomy of Jelly Bellies,' suggesting that the 36 different flavors could be considered different species within a genus, illustrating the playful and imaginative application of taxonomy to candy.

Highlights

Taxonomy is the science of naming and classifying things, and it can be applied to various subjects beyond organisms, such as candy.

Experts from the Field Museum in Chicago discuss the principles of taxonomy and its application to candy.

Taxonomy classifies based on similarities, whether it's organisms or inanimate objects like candy.

The process of taxonomy involves separating new findings from existing species that resemble them.

Candy can be grouped based on shared characteristics like being chocolate-covered or having a specific shape.

Investigating the contents of candy, such as the presence of jelly material, can be part of the classification process.

Taxonomists occasionally use unconventional methods, like tasting, to classify subjects, as humorously illustrated with beetles.

Candies with similar shapes, like round or bean-shaped, can be grouped together for classification.

Consistency in shape, such as with Reese's Pieces, can be a key characteristic for classification.

The presence of an 'M' on M&Ms indicates a specific type of candy with chocolate inside, regardless of color.

Color alone is not a sufficient characteristic for classification, as demonstrated by the variety within a single candy type.

Jelly Belly flavors could potentially be classified as different species within a genus.

The classification of candy can lead to philosophical discussions about the nature of order and perception.

Candy classification can reflect on human tendencies and the ways we choose to organize the world around us.

The goal of biological classification is to reveal evolutionary relationships, which differs from arbitrary groupings like color.

The transcript explores the idea of whether humans impose order on the world or if the world inherently presents itself in an ordered manner.