# Model Organisms Let Scientists Manipulate and Watch Life Grow by Nigel Goldenfeld > “The term ‘model organism’ refers to how researchers attempt to uncover biological knowledge by deep study, manipulation and control of a carefully chosen organism. An example would be the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, which is probably the most widely used laboratory organism for studying multicellular eukaryotes, because generations of researchers have discovered ingenious ways to manipulate its genetics and watch the cells as they grow.” > **— Nigel Goldenfeld**, *2016, Edge Annual Question, “WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST INTERESTING RECENT [SCIENTIFIC”* ## Sources and Context - **Direct Edge response and surrounding essay:** [Edge response](https://www.edge.org/response-detail/26800) — Edge published this passage in its 2016 Annual Question collection, *WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST INTERESTING RECENT [SCIENTIFIC*. - **Exact archived wording:** “You know what a mathematician is, but what about the term “model organism”? It refers to how researchers attempt to uncover biological knowledge, by deep study, manipulation and control of a carefully-chosen organism. An example would be the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, which is probably the most widely-used laboratory organism for studying multicellular eukaryotes, because generations of researchers have discovered ingenious ways to manipulate its genetics and watch the cells as they grow. It’s almost unthinkable to associate a mathematician with a model organism! So what’s the story? Here’s a vignette that makes a serious point.” - **Complete local collection index:** [[research/Edge 2016 Full Quotation Curation|Edge 2016 Full Quotation Curation]] — retained source-first record for the response cohort and this passage's promotion status. - **Editorial treatment:** The readable Reminder selects a self-contained portion of the archived passage and, where necessary, applies light punctuation or transcription repair. It does not add a consequence or increase the speaker's certainty; the complete exact archived wording is preserved above. ## Related Articles and Collections - **Collection:** [[collections/Edge|Edge]] - **Collection:** [[collections/Simple Reminders|Simple Reminders]] - **Collection:** [[collections/Machine Succession|Machine Succession]] - **Article:** [[articles/The Greatest Transformation in Human History|The Greatest Transformation in Human History]] - **Article:** [[articles/The Evolutionary Roots of Silicon Valley|The Evolutionary Roots of Silicon Valley]] - **Wiki map:** [[wiki/Evolutionary Biology|Evolutionary Biology]] ## Related Topics - [[wiki/Evolutionary Biology|Evolutionary Biology]] ## Share on Social Media ``` “The term ‘model organism’ refers to how researchers attempt to uncover biological knowledge by deep study, manipulation and control of a carefully chosen organism. An example would be the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, which is probably the most widely used laboratory organism for studying multicellular eukaryotes, because generations of researchers have discovered ingenious ways to manipulate its genetics and watch the cells as they grow.” — Nigel Goldenfeld, 2016, Edge Annual Question, “WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST INTERESTING RECENT [SCIENTIFIC” https://bryantmcgill.com/simple-reminders-nigel-goldenfeld-model-organisms-life-grow ```