Thursday, March 20, 2008

The never-ending scientific quest

I moved a bunch of furniture yesterday. Not sure I like the placement, but I’m too tired to move it back. I’m preparing for the arrival of two reading chairs and the completion of my library nook.

I’ve always wanted a library—my books are currently spread throughout the house. Well…they were until I moved them yesterday…now they’re piled on every available surface in the living room.

Sorting through them, I realized the college science texts were beyond obsolete. Think I’ll hang onto some anyway—I have an old medical text of my grandmother’s and find it very entertaining. Tea and coffee were “thieves robbing your body of energy," and I won’t mention the multiple uses of enemas…those Victorians certainly were a creative bunch.

Nowadays, there are quarks, gluons and the ever-elusive God particle. Protons, neutrons and electrons are so passé. Scientists are trying to determine the smallest universal particle. Why would there be a “smallest”? The universe seems infinite in either direction…just beyond our comprehension. C’mon, haven’t scientists read Horton Hears a Who? That Dr. Seuss was soooo ahead of his time.

In the grand scheme of it all, does it matter how small is the smallest of all, when children are hungry and water not clean and health is dependent on microbes unseen? Should dollars be spent researching the small, when use of those dollars could benefit all?

My coffee’s kicking in—no thieves in my body—time to get a few things done. Plus, I’m craving green eggs and ham. Best of all…tomorrow’s Friday, how cool is that?

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