This Wondrous World

Not everyone has a good grip of science. But these children's scientific musings at least show humor and creativity!

To explain nuclear reactions, one child said, "When they broke open molecules, the found they were only stuffed with atoms. But when they broke open atoms, they found them stuffed with explosions."

Concerning astronomy, one child said, "Most books now say our sun is a star. But it still knows how to change back into a sun in the day-time." And another said, "Some people can tell what time it is by looking at the sun. But I have never been able to make out the numbers."

"Vacuums are nothings," said a young physics student. "We only mention them to let them know we know they're there."

"Evaporation gets blamed for a lot of things people forget to put the top on," one child observed.

"Rain is often known as soft water, oppositely known as hail," reported a budding meteorologist. Another added, "Thunder is a rich source of loudness."

Other children added these observations: "Isotherms and isobars are even more important than their names sound." And, "It is so hot in some places that the people there have to live in other places." And, "The wind is like the air, only pushier."

These children have a way to go in their quest for more knowledge, but I applaud their efforts to learn more about the universe.

Unfortunately, the reputation of science suffers in some circles. There are those who feel that a scientific mindset and a spiritual outlook are contrary to one another. They believe that facts revealed by science contradict spiritual truths. Not so!

William Bragg, a pioneer in the field of X-ray crystallography, made the point well. He was asked whether science and theology are opposed to one another. "Yes, but in the sense that my thumb and forefinger are opposed to one another -- between science and theology, we cannot grasp everything, but surely the combination reveals more of the cosmic mystery than either can touch alone." They need each other.

If you love the universe -- if you love life, then learn about it. Learn about it from every place possible. Learn from science. Learn from the spiritual disciplines. Learn and keep an open mind, for that is the only way to truth. And the more you learn, the more you'll discover that there is nothing so enchanting or wondrous as this world in which we live!

    ~ Steve Goodier ~

[ by: Steve Goodier Copyright © 2007 (LifeSupport@yahoogroups.com) -- {used with permission} ]