Humanity, Science and Technology

I really love this picture. I find it very meaningful.

Within one picture, it depicts the relationship between humanity & its evolution, science and technology. That, of course, is my personal view. Perhaps you might see something else within.

In the foreground, there is the conventional depiction of the evolution of humans from our apelike ancestors. The gradual change from a small, tree-dwelling ape to a larger, hairless and upright man.

The main focus is the man at the centre of the image. A man with his eyes closed and arms stretch out. A man who has a DNA double helix in place of where his legs would be.

The significance of the double helix is the fact that we are the biological product of our genes. It also representative of genetics which is one of the important discipline of science concerning both evolution and medicine. And thus in the picture, from our genes, emerged man. And understanding genetics meant understanding our biological roots.

My favorite highlight would be the depiction of science and technology. The man is shown with multiple halos radiating from his head and hands. Here, his head represents our mind, knowledge and science. From which, rays of light shines representing enlightenment and understanding. And his hands represents our power and ability to work. And thus representing technology as man made products of our understanding of the world in which we inhabit.

Humanity, a product of millions of years of evolution, has finally reached a state where it is able to attempt to comprehend the world from which it emerged. We're, in a sense, the universe's way of understanding itself. Now, in our hands, we own the power to steer the future of our planet. We have the means to understand our world better through rational thought and the scientific method. We have the means to apply that understanding and create technology to better humanity.

We have what it takes to be human.