Summary

The web content discusses the cultural and scientific significance of the number 13, examining its presence in genetics, medical genetics, planetary science, and entomology to challenge the superstition that it is unlucky.

Abstract

The article "The Number 13 in Science" explores the dichotomy between the superstitious belief that the number 13 is unlucky and its actual occurrence and significance in various scientific fields. It presents examples such as Chromosome 13's role in genetics, where it contains crucial genes like BRCA2 and RB1, and its association with diseases when mutated. Trisomy 13, a genetic disorder caused by an extra copy of the chromosome, is highlighted as an unlucky manifestation of the number. The text also touches on the rare event of 13 full moons in a year, which can be perceived as either lucky or unlucky depending on one's perspective. Additionally, it describes the 13-year cicada life cycle, generally viewed as a symbol of luck and transformation. The article concludes by emphasizing that the number 13's reputation as unlucky is a superstition, and that scientific evidence does not support this notion.

Opinions

The author is not triskaidekaphobic (fearful of the number 13) and believes that the number's association with bad luck is unfounded.
The cultural superstition around the number 13 is challenged by the lack of scientific evidence proving its causation of misfortune.
The number 13 in scientific contexts, such as in genetics and planetary science, is presented as neutral, carrying out its roles without inherent luck or misfortune.
The author suggests that the perception of the number 13 as unlucky is a self-fulfilling prophecy, with people subconsciously seeking evidence to confirm their bias.
The article implies that the number 13's reputation is a cultural construct rather than a scientific reality.

The Number 13 in Science

Lucky or Unlucky?

I am not triskaidekaphobic. I do not fear the number 13. At least, that is what I tell myself. However, one day I did have a job interview scheduled for Friday the 13th. Guess what happened? Despite leaving home two full hours earlier and thinking that I had ample time to get to the interview, I was stuck in one of the worst traffic situations of my life. Needless to say, I arrived 2 hours late and I never got the job.

For some people, the number 13 dredges up more than just the thought of being late to a job interview. It is simply considered to be bad luck. For example, in Christianity, Judas was the 13th disciple who betrayed Jesus. In history and popular culture, you have events like what happened on April 13 1970 when there was an explosion onboard the space mission Apollo 13. Even today, some hotels and office buildings in the United States do not have a 13th floor.

You can find more examples of the number 13 being associated with negative events. However, there is no real scientific evidence that proves that the number 13 is the cause of bad luck. Science does not like to deal with superstition. Instead, science deals with facts, evidence, and hypotheses. I decided to dig a little deeper and examine the the role of the number 13 in science and that brought me to the next question. Is 13 lucky or unlucky in science? Let’s look at some examples.

Chromosome 13

(Field: Genetics)

Chromosomes are DNA molecules that contain an organism’s genetic material. The chromosomes carry genes and it is these genes that hold the instructions that determine your body’s makeup and physical features. You inherit your genes from your parents. In humans, there are 23 pairs of chromosomes and chromosome 13 makes up one of the 23 pairs.

Chromosome 13 contains more than 600 genes that perform different roles in the body. Out of the 600 genes in its arsenal, Chromosome 13 contains genes involved in cancer including breast cancer type 2 (BRCA2) and retinoblastoma (RB1). It is also associated with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and B Cell leukemia.

Lucky or unlucky?

Unlucky but only if the genes are altered or mutated. For example, everyone has BRCA2 genes but the risk of cancer or any other disease is only increased if the genes undergo some type of mutation or change.

Trisomy 13

(Field: Medical Genetics)

Trisomy 13 is a rare genetic disease. It is caused by the body having 3 copies of chromosome 13 instead of the regular 2 copies. When there is an extra copy of chromosome 13, the normal course of human development is disrupted and you end up with a disease like Trisomy 13. Characteristics of the disease include heart problems, abnormalities of the brain or spinal cord, poorly developed eyes and weak muscle tone. Infants that are diagnosed with Trisomy 13 do not live past the first few days or weeks and only a few will survive past one year of age. Even fewer children will survive into adulthood.

Lucky or unlucky?

Unlucky. I think the answer is clear on this one that Trisomy 13 is a devastating genetic disease.

13 Full Moons

(Field: Planetary Science)

A full moon is just one phase of the moon. During a full moon, the moon appears to be fully illuminated. The full moon occurs when the earth moves in position between the sun and the moon. The moon has to be exactly 180 degrees opposite the sun in what is known as an ecliptic longitude. It is at that point that the moon appears full when viewed from the Earth. Typically there are only 12 full moons in a year but sometimes, there can be more than 12. For example, in the year 2020, there will be 13 full moons.

Lucky or unlucky?

Both. It depends on how you look at it. A full moon makes the night sky look beautiful. However, if I were superstitious, I would say that 2020 has been a crazy year with the coronavirus and since 2020 is the year of 13 moons, it would be easy to wonder if it has anything to do with the pandemic. Interestingly, a full moon will shine on the night of Halloween 2020 on October 31.

13-Year Cicadas

(Field: Entomology)

13-year cicadas spend 13 years underground in the nymphal stage. After the 13 years, cicadas will come out to mate. It is not clear why their developmental stage takes a long time and scientists have often wondered about this. The hypothesis is that cicadas have adapted to their environment and the 13 year cycle is timed to escape predators who would seek them out if they came out of their developmental stage earlier.

Lucky or Unlucky?

Lucky. The consensus in popular culture is that cicadas are a symbol of good luck and represent change, transformation and rebirth. Cicadas are also beneficial. They can aerate the soil, cause the fertilization and pruning of trees, and their bodies can serve as a source of nitrogen when they die.

Food for Thought

These are just snippets of information showing how the number 13 crops up in different scientific fields. Obviously, you can see that there is no way to determine if the number 13 is truly unlucky. It is essentially a superstition. Subconsciously, we keep looking for evidence to reinforce our belief that 13 is bad. Its also hard when everyone around you is biased. In the end, 13 is just a number that is equal parts lucky and unlucky.