Where are we in the universe? Are we alone in it? What is the ultimate reality of matter? What is light? These, among many other questions, have been part of the repertoire of questions of humanity for centuries.
The answers to these and a host of other questions about nature pertain to the field of science. And they have brought well-being and wealth to populations around the world – one merely has to look at the areas of health, education, communications, transportation, and entertainment, to stay in few examples.
Hence this part of the ‘Science Graffiti Wall’ brings an emblematic phrase to this effect: "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known," written by science journalist Sharon Begley in an interview she had in 1977 with northern American astrophysicist Carl Sagan (1934-1996), a great promoter of science.
The search for knowledge has been incessant in the last 2,500 - a journey that, it seems, is infinite in its trajectory. However, throughout this period, humanity has not always made good use of this knowledge.
Weapons, deadly gases, radiation, fighter jets ... A relatively recent and emblematic case is that of atomic bombs, which use, in some way, the same theoretical tool that allows generating electricity through nuclear power plants for millions of people and save so many lives every day in the fight against cancer.
The lesson we have learned - especially since the end of World War II in 1945 - is that the applications of science must be increasingly transparent to the general public. When giving an opinion or deciding on the use of scientific knowledge, people also become responsible for its consequences. Hence the extreme importance of scientific dissemination, since the great political issues of this beginning of century are, increasingly, based on science and technology. Therefore, knowing - albeit minimally - these two cultures minimizes the chances of populations becoming victims of demagogues.
A well-educated, conscious and vigilant society must always be aware of the use to be made not only of science but of all other forms of culture.
In this sense, it is worth remembering that science is only one way of explaining the world. Art, religion, literature, and poetry are some of the others. It is in the multiplicity of these explanations - each in their spheres of action - that lies the vast wealth of human knowledge. Intellectuals, such as the British physicist Freeman Dyson, states that a glimpse of the world lies in a multi-faceted look that includes diverse forms of culture.
“If you look at the Earth from space, you see a dot. That’s home. That’s us. It underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly and compassionately with one another and to preserve and cherish that pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.”
