Source of picture: CBS 60 Minutes.
1. In the first picture the subject is shown wearing all that material on his back and shoulders.
2. In this picture the subject opens the door by turning doorknob with his prosthetic hand.
As you can see in the picture, it is a quit a breakthrough. War amputees and other amputees will greatly benefit. However it got me thinking how extraordinary nature is and how spectacular and complex the human body is. $100 million in research money was spent to come up with this prosthetic arm mimicking the human arm and hand. It was quite a story on CBS's 60 minutes. We take our bodies for granted but every cell in our body is a universe in itself. Despite a $100 million dollar cost and 50 years of research, we can only mimic and yet even to mimic through a prosthetic arm, a human brain is still needed.
Now if the gentleman wearing that arm sits near a fire, and he is looking the other way, it is possible that he will never know until much damage is done to the prosthetic hand by fire. On the other hand, if I sit near the fireplace (as I do during the winter) and by mistake take my fingers closer to the fire instant impulses are sent to the brain which in turn commands the finger/fingers to pull back. All this is done faster than a blink of the eye. Every cell in our body is a universe in itself and has its own intelligence. We take our arms and legs for granted until they are lost through some unfortunate circumstances.
The human machine starts with a small (not visible to the human eye) sperm which fertilizes the human egg and is extraordinarily programmed to develop into an embryo and later fetus and then a baby who in turns after birth grows into a full fledged human being – all programmed in that small cell of sperm and egg. Also nature made sure that we enjoy and crave for such recreational process.
By now you must be wondering why am I writing all this. The reason, because I have been always wonder struck by the complexity of nature which led me to believe in the existence of some super intelligence you may call God.
Look at Einstein who was wonder struck by an atom and its capability. Although I understand he was not a happy man when that atomic technology was used to bomb Nagasaki and Hiroshima. However, he did believe in God. Likewise it may come as a surprise to many, but so did Darwin. He only denied the Creationist theory but never denied the existence of the supernatural and I understand he was a very religious man. If these two great minds believed in the existence of super being then who I am to question it.
You see there are three kinds of people when it comes to religion.
Very religious
Agnostic, and
Atheist.
Those who are religious sometimes go overboard and turn people off. Also some of these religious people are known to say one thing and do something else hence losing credibility. On the other hand, Atheists go the other extreme. They may not be unethical but their lives look empty. I park myself at Agnostic. I really do not know if there is a God or if there isn't.
Life was always an extraordinary mystery for me from as far back as I can remember. It will remain that way until the day I die. Everyday I learn something new yet I know absolutely so little.
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