“And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them harshly, they say “Peace!’” (Qur’an 25:63)

There is a significant subtlety in referring to the believers as “the servants of the Most Merciful” instead of “the servants of God.” This implies that these believers are constantly engaged with God’s attributes of the Most Merciful (ar-Rahman) and the Most Compassionate (ar-Rahim), leading a life oriented towards His mercy and compassion. As they embody the “ethics of God,” their every action and behavior exudes gentleness, compassion, mercy, and kindness. They conduct themselves on earth with the dignity, seriousness, and humility befitting a believer. The refinement and beauty of their morals are reflected in all their actions, even in their walk.

They instill trust and hope in those they pass by, being convincing in their demeanor. They have such a gentle aura and atmosphere unique to themselves that anyone who enters it is influenced. If they accidentally encounter ignorant people and are addressed improperly and subjected to poor treatment, they display the qualities required by their character. They do not stoop to their level or respond to evil with evil. They say nothing but good words; “Peace,” they say and move on.

It is noble to act with self-possession and caution, maintain one’s character and decorum around those who are learned and God-conscious. The true greatness of generosity, however, is revealed in how you respond to those who accost and confront you at different corners, baring their teeth and spitting venom. As Jesus (peace be upon him) said, “True goodness is to be good to those who do evil to you, not to those who do good to you” (Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Azim, 6/296). This is the goal the Qur’an sets for us.

Some ignorant people may fabricate lies about you, cast aspersions, launch smear campaigns, hurl threats, and commit various evils to discredit you. What matters is how you respond to them. The Qur’an instructs us not to dwell on the ignorant actions of others, but to overlook and say, “peace be upon you,” maintaining our composure and values in the face of adversity. As inspired by the teachings of the Qur’an, carry yourself with serenity and dignity, and focus on your own actions and attitudes, regardless of the surrounding challenges or negativity: walk through thorny fields as if you are walking in a rose garden.

Attaining such moral elevation is undoubtedly dependent on the depth of one’s relationship with God. Hence, the following verse states: “And those who spend the night in worship of their Lord, prostrating and standing” (25:64). They have internalized faith as a deep-seated conviction. As a result of such faith and conviction, by an almost innate inclination or an ensuing blessed impulse, they are always in an ardent rush towards Him.

They are graced with the Divine Presence, always conscious of being under His watch. The subsequent verses express their prayer as follows: “Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering; indeed, it is evil as a settlement and residence” (25:65-66). When faced with challenges or negativity, especially from coarse and ignorant individuals, those who have reached such a horizon of faith exhibit a clear attitude. Everyone exhibits behavior in accordance with their character. Unaware of their divergence from the right path, a certain group may exhibit various forms of insensitivity, remaining oblivious to the impact of their words or actions. They can fabricate lies and slander innocent people, resorting to various forms of distortion in an attempt to corrupt public opinion against them. In such situations, believers are called upon to act in accordance with the teachings of their faith, guided by the Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet. Even if they encounter fifty types of rudeness, they should not change their stance or compromise their character. Being subjected to hurtful and offensive words and actions should never deviate them from their rightful path. Just as one protects their honor and dignity, they must also protect their character and manner of speaking.

It is a reality that we live in an era where everything has gone astray, where masses are in turmoil, where the ego reigns supreme, and many live their lives engulfed in complexes. For some, their egos have turned into icebergs, even solidified into granite, impervious to the melting rays of the sun. There is nothing those with such inflated, bloated egos won’t stir up. Indeed, Satan can easily take the reins of such individuals, directing them at will. From those under the sway of their lower self and Satan, all kinds of evil can be expected. Today, one can observe individuals who, consumed by malice, harbor hatred, grumble with anger, froth with rage, and live amidst paranoias, all viewed through this perspective. If you are not careful, their negative atmosphere can engulf you too, and the radioactive effect of their hate-filled words can reach you.

During periods when the atmosphere is polluted with such sparks of evil, it is very challenging for believers to maintain their noble moral qualities. Therefore, in such difficult times, it is necessary to act with extra caution and care. It is essential not to reciprocate evil with evil, to try to repel evil with good, and to act with as much gentleness as possible. As the Qur’an states, since evil and good are not equivalent; one is more negative than negatives, and the other is more positive than positives, the responsibility of the believer is to be a representative of positivity and goodness.

In times of turmoil, endeavor to respond to those who come to you with rage and hatred with a smile. Refrain from retaliation, even against those who attack you. Do not curse those who curse you, do not respond in kind to those who insult you. Embrace the magical power of goodness that softens hearts, changes emotions, influences thoughts, and beautifies the person. If someone distances themselves from you, stay where you are to prevent the gap from widening further. This way, those who might become regretful and return in the future won’t have to traverse a great distance. Would you rather have people roll down into Hell due to their monstrous acts, or have them remember their true humanity, their privileged creation in the best of molds, and that they are followers of the Prophet and come back to you? The conscience does not lie. When you consult your consciences, you can find the answer to this question there.

Believers who are committed to a noble ideal, have always strived to be in the path of God, to create realms of goodness and beauty wherever they go, and to embrace all beings, animate and inanimate, with compassion. God willing, they will continue to serve with sincerity and dedication, without getting caught in the whirlpools of the ego. They do not fear criticism, do not stumble upon obstacles, and do not compromise their character to conform to the ignorant. They are imbued with the morals of Rumi and the ethics of Yunus; they act and operate on the principle of being handless to those who beat, tongueless to those who curse, and are always willing to serve altruistically. They strive to live this transient life in accordance with the Divine will, aiming for eternity. The “servants of The Most Merciful,” fully aware of “Whom” they serve, know that even if oppressors take all their worldly possessions, no one can touch their Hereafter.

Evening May Be the Best Time of Day to Exercise

New research suggests that exercising in the evening might offer additional health benefits, particularly for individuals living with obesity. Scientists analyzed data from 30,000 volunteers aged 40 and above without pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Using activity trackers, the researchers categorized participants based on their timing of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity: morning, afternoon, or evening (after 6 p.m.). Over nearly eight years of follow-up, evening exercisers showed the lowest risk of developing cardiovascular disease and mortality compared to those who didn’t exercise or exercised at other times. This pattern persisted even when considering factors like age and smoking history. Interestingly, the benefits of exercising in the morning or afternoon were still notable compared to no exercise, but they were not as pronounced as those seen with evening exercise. This trend remained consistent among individuals with type 2 diabetes, suggesting broader implications for managing obesity and related conditions. While the findings underscore the importance of regular physical activity regardless of timing, they offer insights for individuals seeking to optimize their exercise routines, particularly those with obesity or diabetes. Further research is needed to validate these results and explore potential mechanisms underlying the observed associations. Ultimately, understanding the timing of physical activity could inform personalized approaches to obesity and type 2 diabetes management in the future.

Sabag et al. Timing of moderate to vigorous physical activity, mortality, cardiovascular disease, and microvascular disease in adults with obesity. Diabetes Care, April 2024.

Unlocking the Mysteries of Bitterness

Researchers have investigated the intricate mechanisms underlying the perception of bitter taste and revealed the TAS2R14 bitter taste receptor and mechanism on how bitter-tasting substances interact with TAS2R14, initiating the sensation of bitterness on the tongue. TAS2R14 belongs to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family and can detect over 100 distinct bitter tastants. When these substances bind to TAS2R14 receptors, they trigger a conformational change in the protein, activating the attached G protein. This activation sets off a cascade of biochemical reactions within taste receptor cells, leading to the transmission of signals to the gustatory cortex in the brain, where bitterness is perceived. Interestingly, the researchers discovered that cholesterol, residing in an allosteric site on TAS2R14, aids in its activation by placing the receptor in a semi-active state. The discovery of this novel allosteric cholesterol-binding site for bitter tasting substances is unique. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying bitter taste perception and offer opportunities for developing therapeutic interventions targeting taste receptors to manage metabolic disorders and potentially other health conditions. Cholesterol gives TAS2R14 a helping hand in activation, raising questions about its role with TAS2R14 in other parts of the body. Further exploration revealed the presence of TAS2R14 in various tissues outside the tongue, including the cerebellum, thyroid, and pancreas, hinting at additional functions beyond taste perception. Future studies aim to elucidate the roles of TAS2R14 in these extralingual tissues.

Kim et al. Bitter taste receptor activation by cholesterol and an intracellular tastant. Nature, April 2024.

An “Ice-free” Arctic?

A recent study suggests that the Arctic could experience summer days with minimal sea ice as soon as the next few years, potentially earlier than previously anticipated. The research indicates that the Arctic’s first ice-free day might occur over a decade earlier than earlier estimates, irrespective of future emission scenarios. By the middle of this century, it’s projected that the Arctic could witness an entire month devoid of floating ice during September, the month with the lowest sea ice coverage. Towards the end of the century, the ice-free season may extend to several months annually, especially under high-emission scenarios. The term “ice-free” doesn’t imply a complete absence of ice but refers to when the ocean has less than 1 million square kilometers of ice, less than 20% of the 1980s’ seasonal minimum ice coverage. Currently, the Arctic Ocean experiences around 3.3 million square kilometers of sea ice area at its September minimum. The research team examined existing sea ice projections and modelled future Arctic changes. They predict that the Arctic Ocean could see its first ice-free day between the 2020s and 2030s under all emission scenarios. Sea ice loss is primarily driven by greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating warming and ice melt in the region. This decline has profound consequences for Arctic wildlife like seals and polar bears, as well as potential impacts on local ecosystems due to the influx of non-native fish species. Moreover, diminishing sea ice poses risks to coastal communities by increasing coastal erosion as ice retreats, leaving land exposed to larger ocean waves. Despite the inevitability of an ice-free Arctic, future emission levels will determine the frequency and duration of such conditions. Keeping emissions low is crucial in mitigating prolonged ice-free periods and preserve the Arctic’s unique environment.

Jahn et al. The Arctic could become “ice-free” within a decade. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, April 2024.

“O humankind! A parable is struck, so pay heed to it: Those whom, apart from God, you deify and invoke will never be able to create even a fly, even if all of them were to come together to do so...” (all-Hajj 22:73).

When we look at the living world with a contemplative eye and love of knowledge, we can see the presence of remarkable talents different species manifest in their own way. Compared to many of our technological inventions produced by human mind and thousands of years of knowledge and research since the beginning of history, the living beings we see in nature are much more perfect, aesthetically, and ergonomically more useful, more abundant, and much cheaper.

To give a few examples: The design of a dolphin’s snout, which allows it to move easily in the water, is better than the design of the bows of the ships made by humans, which allow them to move freely in the water. The design of a seagull’s wing, which allows it to maneuver in the air, is better than the design of the wing of a fighter jet made by humans. How is it possible to think that a seagull wing came into being by chance, while no one thinks that an airplane wing came into being by chance or by itself?

Now let’s look at a fly, which is one of the millions of living species that exist in the world and which many of us dislike. Let’s consider whether the collective efforts of millions of conscious individuals on Earth could result in the creation of a fly.

In order for a fly to exist, to continue its existence, to protect itself, to feed itself, etc., it must be equipped with many unique qualities. For these qualities to exist, it is necessary to make choices with very sensitive calculations among many possibilities.

A fly flaps its wings an average of 250 times per second. This is not a circular motion, but a back and forth, like a piston. Chitin, which is used in the structure of the wings, is a specially selected, very light, flexible, and durable material. The joints that connect the wings to the body must also be designed very specially. The fact that a motionless fly can suddenly jump out of its place and make very sharp turns requires that its body have an anatomy suitable for such movements. The pistons employed in gasoline engines reciprocate in a back-and-forth motion. Despite the extensive efforts of thousands of engineers spanning over a century, these engines are limited to pistons oscillating at a rate of only 100 times per second. Does it make sense to credit the fly for all these skills?

The fly’s wing has a very special design that allows it to maneuver. The surface of the wing frame consists of chitin rods that provide the tension of the flexible wing and prevent it from wrinkling and bending; it is also covered with a flexible membrane. Unlike vertebrates, insects do not have red blood and vascular systems to carry it. Hemolymph fluid circulates through the cavities of the body. The tracheal tubules, which constitute the respiratory system, carry oxygen and carbon dioxide to all tissues that need it. The trachea network system, which was established for the regular delivery of nutrients to living cells and the collection of waste, is placed in all tissues in a way that can be prepared with very advanced mathematical equations, leaving no cell behind. Who made these optimizations? Did it occur on its own?

In order for its wings to be suitable for the environment in which the fly lives, it should not be affected by different climatic conditions, should not disperse in the rain, should not be worn out due to the acidity or basicity of the food taken by the fly as food, and should be of an ideal size according to the power of its heart. Well, the fly; does he know that his wing has these features?

When our homes are built, the plumbing is laid and the diameter of the pipes does not change, that is, the water pipes do not have the ability to expand or contract according to our needs. It remains the way it was done in the beginning. However, the tracheal tubes, which are spread like a net inside the fly, and the thinner tracheal tubes branching from them, are constantly changing according to the needs of the fly; they expand and shrink.

It is beyond comprehension how the sensitive chitin hairs on its skin transmit even the slightest breeze in the air to the brain; that its tiny five-chambered heart pumps body fluid from back to front at a terrific speed, and that its Malpighi’s tubes do the same job as our kidneys and clean nitrogenous substances produced as toxic waste from the same liquid. As the number of studies on the physiology, anatomy, and biochemistry of the fly increases, we continue to discover new things every day.

Another point to contemplate about the fly is that the material to be used in its construction should be ecofriendly. If the fly is going to live for a month, then the organic material to be used in it should break down very soon after it dies leaving no waste and pollution behind.

The excellent properties of the fly are too many to count. The feeding of a fly is a miracle in itself. It secretes digestive enzymes from its mouth to dissolve and break down the bacteria which it later absorbs; this explains the wisdom why flies are found around droppings.

The fly’s mechanical design, its self-defense mechanisms, how it procreates, the fact that it has hundreds of tools given to perceive its environment, its vision made possible with a few thousand eyes (ommatidium) like a bee comb, its metamorphosis and transformation into a maggot and then a fly, and its contributions to the environment – each uniquely feature that the fly requires a separate expertise.

As the sciences continue to develop day by day, we realize we can only understand a small part of existence. Despite the diligent efforts of countless scholars spanning centuries, the vast expanse of knowledge remains unattained to humanity, as God’s knowledge is infinite.

Saying that a fly could not exist if its wing was not flexible does not explain the fact that a fly’s wing is flexible. If a fly’s wing wasn’t flexible, then the fly would not exist in the first place. A design shows a designer behind it. An engineering work shows an engineer behind it. A quantity measured denotes someone does the measuring. What falls on mankind is to see all the amazing things around us and show our admiration to the Power behind them.

The large windows in the kitchen of my new home let in the perfect amount of sun for plant-rearing. So, after some meandering in the garden section of a big-chain hardware store, I bought a yucca and placed it next to one of the kitchen’s bay windows. After a few days I added a lily on the windowsill next to it and the two were fast friends, both leaning toward the glass to catch the brunt of the light when the kitchen was at its brightest. Soon I found myself preoccupied with watering them and watching them flourish, even as I accepted that I did so to distract myself from the news cycle at the time, which mainly featured a few benign fluff stories, the weather, and the national and worldwide death toll from the pandemic. In this way, the plants served their unwitting purpose. Then, the watering schedule I’d set for them shifted from a pleasant distraction to a full-blown mania that resulted in overwatering.

That, coupled with the right cocktail of gnat eggs and direct sunlight soon transformed the top layer of the yucca’s soil into a hatching pod. My kitchen, so bright with its area of exposed brick painted white and its backsplash above the stove, was now besieged with fruit fly larvae. Then, just as the last lily buds on the yucca’s neighbor began to open despite the chaos around them, my older brother called to tell me that our father’s cancer had spread to his bones. My father, the first person who told me that the simplest way to learn about the cycles of life and death was to observe it all around me in nature, was finally nearing the end of his own path. Moreover, daddy was right; nature, albeit a fraction of it that I accidentally cultivated in my own kitchen, was about to teach me about ephemerality, grief, and death.

My brother adjusted his tone as he explained to me what was happening to my father, and I recognized the shift in his inflection as one he often used for his youngest, most inquisitive daughter. As gently as he could, he told me that there would be no more chemo. After the call, I spent the next few days slowly processing the words “spread to his bones.” During that time, I also waged war on more invertebrate sunbathers, which were now no larger than grains of rice, enjoying the warmth of my kitchen floor. I thought of my father all the while, and the rule of threes that the eldest womenfolk in my family had always told me about when I was little. The crux of their superstition stated that many important things in life came in threes: death, calamities, successes–all in threes. I had always hated that bit of family-fueled lore and the way that each generation of women on my mother’s side kept reviving it, imbuing it with new strength by grouping all the joys and hardships of our family into neat triad bundles, but I also had to admit to myself in this instance that my father’s war was tiered that way too, with three battles rolled into one. First came his early scrimmages with addiction. Then, with his mental illness. Finally, prostate cancer entered the arena as an armor-clad champion, and how he fared throughout that battle was inextricably tied to the resolve he’d earned battling the other two.

I’m sure I could have viewed the infestation differently if I hadn’t lain eyes on the larvae while I was mourning the impending loss of my father. I had always been that type of child growing up, grasping insects by their wispy legs to move them from harm’s way, and crouching to observe brightly colored caterpillars. It also helped that the nature shows I watched back then often described writhing, translucent piles of larvae with terms like “burgeoning new life” and “resilient young.” But, in the midst of losing my father, I was too jumbled inside to think that way. The spider-dangling child who had merrily let all things live was buried in her grief, and I called the pest company the day the infestation began. My hopes were dashed during that call though, as I was cautioned against having high hopes about eradicating them in one treatment. Even the service representative’s words were triggering for me as my mind again clamped onto certain words as she spoke and a memory tunneled me back to where I had heard similar, like “impossible to eradicate with one treatment.” Bitterly, I remembered exactly where I’d heard them; it was during one of daddy’s first diagnostic visits. But I did perk up slightly when the rep told me that the larvae hated the cold and resolved right then to freeze them out.

My family rendezvoused at the hospice center in Bethesda to see my father and took turns going in to visit because of the facility’s Covid-19 restrictions. When I entered his room and saw how small he’d become, I decided to record our conversation. Because he was also aware of how, little by little, parts of him were dissipating (evaporating? I hate the term “wasting away”), he spoke to me as if he also knew it would be our last. I held onto each word he told me in his strained voice, which he pushed out between breaths that caused his swollen brown belly to bow upward and his too-visible ribcage to rise and fall dramatically, though some of it I wasn’t prepared to hear. He imparted bits of wisdom about my failed marriage, the ebb and flow of my iman—the word he used for my faith as a Muslim—and chiding me about my undone tasks and how I had less time to do them than I thought. I felt pangs of guilt when he was done and felt even worse when I returned to my icy home alone with a deeper hatred of the larvae than before. If my daddy wouldn’t be allowed to thrive, why should they? Invertebrate scum. They had no bones for cancer to spread to, causing pain excruciating enough to push a recovering addict’s mind to thoughts of needles and vials. They possessed no fingers to play the saxophone, or callused hands to pat the hijab-covered heads of their daughters. None had vocal cords to recite the long, rhythmic Sufi prayers that my daddy knew by heart. In fact, they had no hearts at all. They simply existed to multiply and consume, like cancer.

After the visit, my mom and siblings flooded our family group chat with updates from his doctor, but the constant pinging sounds became unnerving, so I silenced my phone entirely. I knew that a portion of them were concerned texts from my mother, who was concerned with my extermination method and wondering how I was faring in the cold. I also knew that there was a simpler way to mute their texts, but I wanted to do more than that. I wanted to mute everything around me—the omnipresent whir of my air conditioner, sporadic clatter from the icemaker in my fridge, and the moan of the wooden floorboards under the large feet I inherited from my now-fading father. It took three days to freeze all of them, and each night was spent bundled against the cold, phone in hand as I replayed clips of my father playing his saxophone or smiling proudly with his arm slung around the shoulders of one of his many grandchildren. When morning broke after each chilly night prior, I’d rise and sweep the frozen ones into my dustpan. Once lively and determined in their trek across my linoleum, the cold had since left them discolored and shrunken. By the fourth day their short lives were done, and father’s life was too, leaving me with a clear kitchen, but clouded mind. I turned up the heat and let the warmth return to my kitchen, which I paced as I contemplated the life of both the prospective fruit flies, and my father’s. Standing in the fully restored kitchen on the morning of his janaza, or funeral, with its floor tiles warm against my feet, I decided that what nature taught me about fruit flies and my father was that they were both fragile creatures who had, however briefly, enjoyed their time in the sun. I also decided that surviving my grief and allowing myself some joy again meant reviving the wisdom of my foregone womenfolk and looking at my father’s life in a different light. His battles came in threes, but his blessings did too: bones that bore the weight of his seventy years, callused hands that patted the heads and wiped the tears of his six children, and the skilled fingers that told stories through his horn so vividly that sometimes, I still hear them in my dreams.

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, the great sage of the twentieth century, divides his life into three distinct phases: Old Said, New Said, and Third Said. In his 40s, Old Said undergoes a profound spiritual transformation while actively seeking solutions to the challenges faced by believers in society, thus becoming New Said. New Said, deeply influenced by the truths of faith, becomes primarily focused on matters of faith. In his final decade, Third Said dedicates himself to preparing for the journey beyond this life [1].

Bediuzzaman shares an imaginary event that played a pivotal role in his transformation into New Said. Although not a dream in the traditional sense, the images he witnessed in this dream-like state, or vision, held significant spiritual insights. However, he describes this experience as an “imaginary event” to avoid stirring jealousy in others.

Bediuzzaman states, “O world-adoring one charmed by the worldly life and ignorant of the meaning of your nature as the perfect pattern of creation!” [2].

Humanity’s failure to recognize that they are intricately woven with Divine Names, Attributes, and Qualities often leads them to become infatuated with the material world, essentially worshipping it. The absence of this sensation results in heedlessness. With the light of faith, individuals can recognize the presence of the Creator, Owner, and Lord of everything, including themselves. When they search, they discover what they are seeking.

He initiates the description of his transformation with the following words:

“I found myself a traveler going on a long journey. My lord who set me making this journey gradually gave me some of the sixty gold coins He had allotted to me. This went on for some time, and after a while I arrived at an inn that provided some entertainment. In one night I spent ten gold coins on gambling and entertainment, and in pursuit of fame. The next morning, I had no money left. Nor could I do trade and buy provisions I would need at my destination. All I had left was pain, sorrow, and regret left by sins and illicit pleasures. While I was in this wretched state, a man suddenly appeared and said to me: ‘You have lost all you had and deserve to be punished. Moreover, you will go on to your destination with no money’” [3].

The events narrated by Bediuzzaman are symbolic, reflecting his self-examination and the lessons learned from the imaginary sins he distanced himself from in real life.

Recognizing the squandering of one’s resources is painful, and facing bankruptcy is sorrowful. Being unprepared for the journey and failing to see oneself as a traveler are also distressing aspects of this realization.

The word “suddenly,” emphasized in the text, highlights the necessity of experiencing unexpected events to prompt awakening and change.

The Greek term “metanoia” signifies a shift in mindset or paradigm, a transformation of the heart, and a spiritual change into a new state [4]. During such a spiritual transformation, the methods used to shed light on one’s blind spots, refine one’s perception, and guide one’s reasoning heart frequently involve startling and bewildering changes or hardships.

Bediuzzaman continues, “‘But if you use your mind, the door of repentance is not closed. When you gradually receive the remaining fifteen gold coins, keep half in reserve and use it to buy what you will need at your destination.’ My soul did not agree, so the man said: ‘Save a third of them then.’ Still my soul balked. The man insisted: ‘Then a quarter.’ I saw that my soul could not abandon its addictions, so the man turned away indignantly and disappeared” [5].

Someone with sound judgment experiences remorse, recognizing their mistakes as a sign of wisdom. The greatest fault lies in not acknowledging one’s own faults. Failing to rectify mistakes when the opportunity arises only results in self-inflicted damage. The ego that indulges in its desires disregards well-intentioned advice and forfeits the chance for mercy.

With a sound heart, one can acknowledge their errors and learn from them. Those who refuse to learn from their mistakes are destined to repeat them. Understanding that the past cannot be changed does not negate the importance of regret; it signifies the humility of a healthy heart.

In Christopher Nolan’s film Inception, the protagonist, Cobb [6], grapples with painful memories of his wife and seeks to alter them. The song Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien by Édith Piaf, featured in the film, hints that Cobb cannot confront the truth, and returns home without sincere regret [7].

“At once, I found myself on a high-speed train travelling through a tunnel. I was alarmed, but there was no escape. To my surprise, I saw very attractive flowers and tasty-looking fruits alongside the track, hanging out from the sides of the tunnel. I foolishly tried to pick some of them. But all around them were thorns that, due to the train’s speed, tore at my hands and made them bleed. They cost me very much” [8].

Indulging in unlawful and transient pleasures while realizing their fleeting nature brings both pain and parting. What is consumed fails to satisfy, what is abandoned holds no value, and what extinguishes does not bring gratification. Encountering endings and separations wounds the heart.

Things perceived by the eye but difficult for the mind to comprehend are often tests. Wisdom, fortified by reason and experience, considers the consequences of choices and the fate of desires. It guides one towards making sensible decisions, avoiding risks where the potential loss outweighs any gain. A sound conscience gently whispers, “Is it worth it?”

“Suddenly an attendant came and said: ‘Give me five cents and I’ll give you as many flowers and fruits as you want. With your hands all cut up, you are losing a hundred instead of five cents. Besides, there is a punishment for picking them without permission’” [9].

The price of lawful pleasures is light and sufficient for enjoyment. Staying within limits brings contentment. True satisfaction arises from recognizing the blessings and the benevolence of The All-Generous. The All-Merciful satisfies our souls, The All-Wise our intellects, and The All-Compassionate our hearts.

“Depressed by this condition, I looked out the window to see when the tunnel would end. But there was no end in sight. The tunnel’s walls had many openings into which passengers were being thrown. Suddenly I caught sight of an opening just opposite me with a gravestone on either side. When I peered out, I made out my name, ‘Said,’ written in capital letters on a gravestone. I gave a cry of bewilderment and repentance” [10].

Life in this world resembles a tunnel, and humanity rides a speeding time train with a new carriage added each year. There is no escape, and the only exit leads to one’s own grave. Sometimes, the grave looms in the distance, while other times, it’s very close.

One who encounters the journey’s end without adequate preparation experiences profound sorrow and astonishment. “A cry of bewilderment and repentance” reflects the genuine shock of a person who has awakened.

Preparing for death stands as one of life’s most crucial objectives. Filmmaker Andrey Tarkovsky also underscores that art’s purpose is to ready individuals for death, unveiling the deepest recesses of their inner selves [11].

“Unexpectedly, I heard the voice of the man who had advised me at the inn, asking: ‘Have you come to your senses?’ I replied: ‘Yes, but I’ve been left powerless, and there is nothing I can do.’ He told me to repent and trust in God, to which I replied that I did” [12].

When faced with the consequences, reason regains its foothold. Individuals inevitably confront the severe repercussions of their desires and choices, at times testing the limits of their endurance. Even if the conscience has not transgressed beyond redemption, there is still hope.

Helplessness invokes Divine mercy. The advisor, the person who provides guidance with wisdom, compassion, and sincerity for the individual’s well-being, may not reappear but calls from a distance. Offering a second chance, he proposes two actions in two words: repentance and trust. The fortunate interlocutor, making a wise choice and sparing himself the murmurs of his ego, declares, “I did,” meaning both actions. Death becomes the catalyst for awakening.

“Then I woke up and I found myself transformed into the New Said; the Old Said had gone away” [13].

Repentance from the depths of the heart cleanses one’s past, while trust purifies one’s future. The mind, with its ability to traverse time, often preoccupies individuals with past regrets and future anxieties, disconnecting them from the present moment. A person with sound judgment, realizing the extended journey and the opportunity at hand, embraces repentance and trust, concentrating on the central point that intersects with eternity and conceals profound secrets, constantly renewing themselves. One who glimpses the journey’s end is no longer the same as before.

Knowledge alone cannot renew a person; true transformation requires confronting reality. Just as angels thrive on light, knowledge finds its manifestation in actions as meanings are assimilated. Satisfying one’s soul requires grasping the significance of life’s experiences, not merely the words themselves.

Viewing oneself as a traveler fosters awareness and preparation. Our journey, originating in the Realm of Spirits and continuing through the mother’s womb, persists in this world. It encompasses childhood, youth, old age, the transition from the confines of the body to the Intermediate Realm, and the return to a new body through resurrection. The journey toward a life where death is conquered endures, marked by the relinquishment of everything, including life itself. When the time comes, individuals realize that what must be returned is an entrusted gift.

Now is the time to invest in “moments” without sudden departures. As Bediuzzaman expresses, “A guest has to consider the journey” [14].

Notes

1. Bediüzzaman Said Nursî, Sözler, İstanbul: Şahdamar Yayınları, 2010, s. 346; Bediüzzaman Said Nursî, Şuâlar, İstanbul: Şahdamar Yayınları, 2010, s. 518.
2. Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, The Words, New Jersey: The Light, 2013, p. 341.
3. Ibid.
4. Peter M. Senge, The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, New York: Currency Doubleday, 1990, p. 13.
5. Nursi, Ibid, p. 341.
6. “Cobb” phonetically resembles words in languages like Sanskrit, Hindi, and Urdu that mean “sleep.” For instance, the Persian word “hab” means sleep.
7. Jason T. Eberl ve George A. Dunn (ed.), The Philosophy of Christopher Nolan, London: Lexington Books, 2017, p. 134.
8. Nursi, Ibid, p. 342.
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
11. Andrey Tarkovski, Mühürlenmiş Zaman, Ter. Füsun Ant, İstanbul: Agora Kitaplığı, 2008, p. 32.
12. Nursi, Ibid, p. 342.
13. Ibid.
14. Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, The Gleams, New Jersey: Tughra Books, 2013, p. 331.

I have given myself approximately two hours, 12 minutes, and 14 seconds to write this essay. The amount of time it takes me to get to work and back on the train.

Now, I have eight seconds less.

I never timed how long it took to write a sentence. I am a slightly above average typist, but the speed of writing a sentence depends nearly entirely on whether the order of strung words is already sitting in my head in queue. When I have to think about the right way to say something, or what I am going to say, it inevitably takes longer for it to travel from my globular cerebrum to the page. Also, words like “inevitably” cause me to pause for a half a second to remember how to spell it. It doesn’t fly off the keyboard like the words, “fly” or “keyboard.”

I just wasted an extra second-and-a-half misspelling “keyboard” and having to move the cursor back to correct it. Then my brain focused on the misspelled word rather than what my next cogent thought might be. A mistake compounded. 186 words down and seven minutes and 32 seconds in.

I wonder how much time I waste per day on mistakes, distractions, mis-turns. Are there people who don’t get distracted or make mistakes? People who can stay on task with superhero laser focus? Who doesn’t spend time pontificating about how long it takes to write a single sentence or the derailment of a thesis when a writer trips over her words and spends more time questioning whether the word “keyboard” would carry the same brevity if it didn’t have the “y”?

I imagine there are people like that. The people whose bios read like five peoples’ lives smashed together. People who manage to earn multiple advanced degrees, and who hold high positions in multiple industries. People who publish dozens of books. Who achieve some incredible feat that requires intense focus and training, and who somehow still manage to maintain a marriage and family. People who do not get distracted by social media dings and a dragonfly catching some pollen on a nearby blooming tomato plant. Those people have always fascinated me. Although, behind every successful family person (so often, a man) is most certainly an unsung hero (so often, a woman) who enables their craft by taking care of absolutely everything else for them. Distraction avoidance by proximity.

Then there are the incredibly lucky distractors. The guy who first stuck his mouth under a cow’s udder and was able to convince others to do the same. I’m sure it wasn’t ingenuity or intention that led to that act. It was probably misguided curiosity, or procrastination, getting distracted from what he was supposed to be doing. I have done weird things when I’m on a deadline and don’t feel like completing the task at hand. Like clean the bathroom. Of course, when I have to clean the bathroom, I do something else, like write an essay about distraction.

What does it mean to commit an act that is the opposite of distraction? To focus and complete a task? To slap procrastination squarely in its ugly face and keep at the task at hand until it is baked and ready? It is so easy to wish for things. To create a wish list, even, of all the things you want to complete. Do the laundry. Meal prep for the week. Outline that article. Finish that strategy deck. Complete the degree. Advance to the next level at work. Write the next Great American Novel.

It is even easy to start things. It is much easier to hit the start button on the dish washer than it is to wash by hand, dry and put everything away. I have so many first sentences. Though, to be fair, it’s easier to write one stellar sentence than 300 pages of them.

The man stared down at the crimson blood dripping from his fingertips.

The fuchsia dress glimmered in the sunlit porch where she was about to create the best memory of her life.

Angled just right, he wouldn’t have to face the hunger that snarled his stomach all winter.

Those are decent sentences. It’s a lot easier to hold your attention on (and my own for long enough to write) these singular, standalone sentences than it might be to expand each into full length novels. The pressure to create identifiable yet compelling characters, to embed enough plot twists to maintain the attention span of a culture that officially loses focus in less time than a goldfish. It’s a lot of pressure. It’s much easier to write first sentences on word documents that I then file into a “works in progress” folder on my desktop and rarely look at again. There is satisfaction in filing things.

More than 21 minutes have ticked away in my toiling. 778 words down. I now have one hour, 51 minutes and 26 seconds until I reach my self-imposed deadline. About halfway to the low end of the word count.

I paused to sneeze and my eyes caught the morning sun reflecting off the buildings out of my periphery as my train whizzed by on its way from suspiciously sleepy suburbs to the frenetic city. I spent (wasted?) at least two distracted minutes staring out the window, my thoughts wandering beautifully but even less disciplined than this rambling piece. Now I feel like a naughty school girl who daydreamed rather than listen to her history teacher babbling about some Civil War battle that was probably rife with inaccuracies. History is written by the victors, after all.

But also, aren’t the day dreamers the ones who create greatness? The one who didn’t follow the path they were supposed to and discovered new land. The CEO who leaves at least two hours each morning to just think so she can make sound decisions and innovate. The kid who was allowed to play make believe rather than complete eight pages of worksheets each night and grew up to invent a mega power brand like a Lego or the immutable Muppets.

Shouldn’t we all be encouraged to focus less and get distracted more? Tune out of the status quo, blow the arbitrary deadlines and protocols, and spend more time staring at the ingenuity of light refracting on the side of a grey, cement building or the gradation of cloud layers. The way a lone sparrow hops on the front of its feet, pecking at paper scraps on the ground in search of its next sustenance. The sharp whinny of the neighbor’s dog straining to smell a distant fox it cannot see but knows is there.

What is life if not the amalgamation of a million little observations? A hundred thousand fleeting moments of beauty and terror that were captured when we weren’t on deadline, head-down, trying to focus and be productive and get the thing done. Life happens when we are distracted. A thousand sweet kisses. A few hundred bear hugs. A dozen moments of sheer exhilaration. Hopefully not more than a couple of moments of total devastation.

Can you go to the edge of Earth, of life if you’re worried about the end goal? Can you truly explore the depths of human emotion and experience if you are trying to drive efficiencies in your workflow or manage through protocols? Doesn’t full attention at all times drain our souls?

Perhaps we should instead launch an anti-focus movement. We can celebrate the people who land on an epiphany while procrastinating. The wanderers who stumble upon something wonderful and surprising when they should have been somewhere else. We can honor the exceptions to the rule rather than the rule. The stream of consciousness wisdom not unlike this essay, rather than the impeccably formed narrative arc.

Despite the misgivings coming through the pores of this pixelated page, I consider myself a very focused and productive person; in other words, largely non-distractable. I have always outputted, on average, slightly more than my peers. I was often the first to finish tests in school. I complete more work in my hamster-in-a-wheel office life than colleagues. I have side hustles that leave people asking me regularly, “how do you find the time?”

This is the moment where I might provide a much-anticipated update on word count and time invested, but sadly I cannot because my morning train ride ended, and I spent eight hours toiling away. I had a surprising burst of new energy to keep writing upon my return train trip, but I went back and added some words above that weren’t there this morning, so it’s a bit of a tossup now in terms of time spent. I am 1468 words in and have spent about one hour and 50 minutes on this potentially inane essay.

But also, that’s a potentially impressive rate of more than 700 words an hour. Not my best. But also, not someone’s worst by any measure.

How do I get what I get done when I do focus?

The answer is, I move quickly.

I don’t always get everything right, but I don’t necessarily make more mistakes than the average Joe, either. I’m sure if I slowed down, I wouldn’t make hardly any mistakes. I wouldn’t spell “keyboard” wrong at the very least. But what’s the fun on taking it so slow that you pay close attention to everything? That feels like driving the golf cart over the Ferrari, choosing the steamed vegetables over the creamy, potato gratin. Sure, there are consequences to moving quickly. But also, isn’t life more fun that way? And if life is short, shouldn’t it be fun? Should we all choose the potato gratin?

I recognize I have devolved into talking about the selling points of potato gratin rather than on how one can focus to complete a task.

Before I concur with my own purported point, I will state for the record that potato gratin deserves its own, dedicated essay.

My train is pulling into the station momentarily and I am rounding the corner on nearly 1700 words, which means that I have nearly accomplished my mission. That is, of course, assuming any of this makes any sense. If not, I just gave you a good, ten-minute distraction. You’re welcome.

Within the narratives of saints, the act of “walking on water” stands out as a recurrent wonder. While this situation is contrary to the laws of physics and is of course met with surprise by the listeners, it is a perfectly normal way of life for a group of insects, known as the long-legged water striders (Gerris sp.), who can hover on the water surface of calm ponds and rivers as if they were on land.

These brown insects usually stand still; but they are also created with an ability to act speedily on water and make sudden movements if somehow stimulated. In the process, small waves of water are formed behind them, which spread outward. The question that comes to mind is: How do they stay on the water?

The secret lies in the fact that their body size and legs are created in such a way that they can take advantage of some of the properties given to water. Objects with a specific gravity higher than water sink, substances with specific gravity less than water (such as wood, oil) float. There is a weak force of attraction between the molecules on the surface of the water, but this is a weak force, called surface tension, and it is not strong enough to carry a person.

A water strider weighs only as much as three sesame seeds combined; this is enough to bend water surfaces, but it can’t break them. Thus, the surface tension supports the weight of the water strider (Figure 1). In addition to the body size, the gap between the animal’s feet, that is, the width of the weight surface, is of great importance.

As the surface expands, the pressure made decreases. For example, when a knife is sharpened, the cutting surface is greatly reduced, so it cuts the pressed object even with even slight pressure. But if the cutting surface expands, that is, if the blade becomes dull, it is necessary to press hard to cut. Similarly, if a person tried to walk on water like a water strider, he would need feet as wide as about 10 kilometers to support his body weight, which is about 10,000,000 times the weight of a water strider.

Water striders resemble rowboats on the water. When their legs touch the surface of the water, they are covered with a silvery layer of air. Aquatic travelers have as many as 10,000 very small hairs on one millimeter of their legs. They have hairy legs that are a million times denser than the density of the hair on our head. Air is trapped between these hairs. Moreover, these microscopic hairs are covered with cavities that make them even more waterproof. Made of chitin, these bristles have an important function in increasing water repellency and increase the surface area of the leg, allowing them to stay dry. The layer of air held between the bristles allows them to glide over the water for long distances without sinking. Adult water striders can travel up to 50 times their body length per second during “paddling.” This is equivalent to a human running 100 meters per second.

So, how does a water strider start its first movement? Hydrodynamic theories say that surface waves can only be generated if an animal is able to move its legs fast enough. For movement at constant speed and in a straight line, this minimum speed is 23 centimeters per second, which is low enough to be tested in a bathtub or swimming pool. The legs of the adult ones are one centimeter long, while the legs of juvenile striders are barely one millimeter long. In order to reach the required speed, baby water striders need to rotate their legs at speeds higher than 1000 cycles per second, which is 500 times faster than the speed at which we pedal on a bike, which can damage them. But since it is known that baby water striders can also initiate the first movement and continue it on the water, there must be a different mechanism.

To uncover this mechanism, scientists studied water spiders. It was noticed that spiders, as they move on the surface of the water, produce waves behind them. After this observation, the water travelers were monitored with devices capable of precise recording. The entire stroke of the paddle lasted about a hundredth of a second. (We can fit 30 paddle strokes in a single wink). It was observed that the water striders rowed with such a frequency with their middle legs, being able to move forward and upward. The water surface behind was rippling like a trampoline. But the analysis suggested that the undulating trampoline could not be the only reason pushing it forward.

In the laboratory, it was found that when the paddling of water travelers was followed using colored paints, the waves formed were only a brief image of the paddle stroke (Figure 2). The actual waves that formed were the vibrations generated by the mechanical force that came and went quickly. What really stood out were the butterfly-shaped, bipolar vortices on the back of both legs. Even baby water striders could generate vortexes with the motion of rowing. The forward movement of the water strider is based on pushing a pack of liquid backwards. By pushing the fluid backwards, they were pushing themselves forward and maintaining their momentum.

In order for a hummingbird that flaps its wings suspended in the air to maintain its level, it must constantly push the air downwards at a fairly high speed, since the air is 1000 times lighter than water. The air that is pushed down has a certain momentum, which is equal to the product of its mass multiplied by its velocity. Therefore, in order for it to remain in the air, the momentum, the speed at which it is being pushed downward, must be equal to the weight of the bird. The helicopter works in the same way: Rotating propellers propel the air, accelerating it, thereby increasing momentum, and then pressing the air downwards as compressed as possible.

In order for a fish to swim forward, it must also maintain its momentum. Moving forward, it moves in the opposite direction with the help of its fins and tail, forming a trail approximately its own size. Due to the conservation of momentum, this trail runs in the opposite direction of the fish. The trace that appears in the water usually depends on the style of the movement performed. Birds flying at low speeds create a vortex with each flap of their wings. When the basilisk lizard (Basiliscus plumbifrons) runs through the water, vortices are formed that move backwards as it presses downwards to support its weight and create thrust. Creatures such as birds, fish and lizards that move in the water have been created with the ability to make these vortices.

A water strider can create vortices the size of watermelon seeds. It uses only two of its six legs as a paddle. Since the diameter of their legs is 50 times thinner than the width of the vortex, it is thanks to their surface tension that they are able to move the liquid with their thin legs. When a water strider sits on the surface of the water, it produces pits on the surface of the water. While moving their legs, these pits are maintained without breaks on the surface of the water. Filled with air, but held together by surface tension, pits are like paddles used to catch and push away more water than the insect can do with its slender legs.

The hardest part of building a mechanical robotic water strider is that it has to be light enough to balance on the water. One of the human-like robots is the walking robot named Asimo. He is 130 cm tall and weighs about 55 kilograms. A water strider, on the other hand, weighs one-100th of the weight of a paper clip. Observing the world’s largest water strider, Gigantometra gigas, scientists began to think that there was a way to build a lightweight robot. Gigantometra gigas‘s body is three times longer than that of a normal water strider, and its legs are almost a foot wide. Despite this, it weighs only 1 gram, that is, the weight of a paper clip.

One robotic strider has been produced in lab out of aluminum and with water-repellent (hydrophobic) qualities. Aluminum is known to be amongst the lightest, most durable, and most cost-effective metals on the market (Figure 3).

The excess weight in an aircraft’s fuselage requires longer wings to create lift. Similarly, the heavier the robotic strider, the longer must be its legs to be able to support its weight on the water.

After the robotic navigator was released to the surface of the water, several waves were seen. It slowly slid forward and began to move on the surface of the water.

Inspired by God’s creations, we can find living things in nature to serve as models for many more technological innovations. In the future, it may even be possible for people to walk on water. If we succeed in reading the book of the universe with this perspective, we can develop many innovations that will make human life easier by making use of animals and plants.

Reference

David L. Hu, How to Walk on Water and Climb up Walls, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2018.

Among the plethora of events and miracles in the life of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, there is one that was particularly unique. Around a year before the Muslim community’s migration to Medina, the Prophet was taken by a heavenly steed from Mecca to Jerusalem, and from there lifted to the seven heavens. At the end of this journey, he was brought to the direct presence of God, closer than anyone before or after him.

One of the many fruits of this stunning occasion is the revelation of the last two verses of chapter al-Baqarah in the Qur’an. Because they were revealed to the Prophet from God without any intermediary, they are considered to hold a unique degree of importance compared to the rest of the scripture. Just these two verses hold enough meaning for volumes of scholarship; nevertheless, if we wanted to summarize their contents, we could say that they contain a summary of the true nature of a believer.

Within these descriptions is one that conveys a concept oft-mentioned in the whole Book: submission and obedience. As it announces succinctly: “And the believers say: We hear and We obey” [2:285].

This proclamation perfectly encapsulates the psycho-spiritual state of the believer. When the Divine Command comes, he accepts it unconditionally and applies it entirely. The reality of God’s Lordship is that He has the unqualified right to command his property as He wills; and the reality of our servanthood is that we must obey the Divine Injunction with complete deference.

Defiance to a command is the sign of rebellion, and its acceptance a mark of submission. In our mundane lives, we naturally exhibit this understanding, from the orders of a supervisor to the commands of a national leader. This principle applies just as well to our relationship with God. In whatever we do, failing to meet the standards of morality and obedience to the Divine Law reflects our inner nature. One that does not manifest perfection but is twisted and disfigured into pure monstrousness.

It is for this reason that the prophets, blessings upon them all, are necessarily free of sin or disobedience. Their role as guides and role models for the believers entails that they must themselves be pure examples of what God wants us to be like. The life of every single prophet is filled with examples of their utmost submission to the Divine Command. This is seldom more obvious than in the explication of a particular event in the life of Prophet Abraham.

Prophet Abraham had already gone through many trials throughout his life. In trying to guide his father, he was disowned and hated. In trying to guide his people away from misguidance and idol worship, he was persecuted and thrown into a raging fire. Despite all of that, his resilience and strength in belief had stayed strong. However, his greatest test would only be made clear at a later time.

There are many things that a person values, forming a hierarchy within their mind and heart. Be it money, family, or a loved one, there are a plethora of things that our faith in God can be tested by. Undoubtedly, however, the most terrifying trial that one can experience is that of a parent being tested by their beloved child. And this is exactly what lay in wait for Prophet Abraham.

One night, Prophet Abraham saw a dream, a true source of revelation for prophets; in it, he was commanded to sacrifice the life of his precious son Ismail. When he woke from his dream, he did so with a heavy task on his shoulders. This is the first part of the formula as mentioned in the verse above: to hear of the command and accept its significance. Right after, Prophet Abraham went to his son and informed him of what the Lord of the Worlds had ordered him to do.

What happened next is a reinforcement of the proper response to God’s mandates. Though Ismail was just a young boy with a full life ahead, his response was even more immediate and enthusiastic than his father’s, as he hoped to console him by reminding him of the proper path. His words are beautifully expressed in the Qur’an: “Abraham said: ‘O my dear son! I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you. So tell me what you think.’ He replied, ‘O my dear father! Do as you are commanded. If God wishes, you will find me steadfast’” [37:102].

Here we see the second and most important part of the formula in the Chapter: to obey the command without reference to deception or treachery. And this is precisely what Prophet Abraham and his son displayed, by laying the young man down and attempting to follow through on the act.

When Prophet Abraham showed his formidable resolve in submitting to the Divine Command, God called down to him, declaring that He rescinded his order and that the whole occasion was a trial with the sole purpose of revealing their true characters, that of true believers in complete submission.

In reward, God sent down a ram from the heavens, instructing that they sacrifice it instead. This entire trial was without a doubt the most harrowing decision Prophet Abraham had to undertake, and one that represented his unmatched obedience. It is in commemoration of this event that Muslims make their own animal sacrifices every year on Eid Al-Adha, to celebrate and raise the flag of submission that Prophet Abraham first did millennia ago.

The ending of Prophet Abraham’s ordeal was also a perfect reflection of the ending state of the true submissive believer, one that is blessed and exalted by God. In being saved from having to sacrifice his precious child, the story perfectly encapsulates the ending of Chapter al-Baqarah, a plea sent to the Lord of the Worlds that He bestow on us his Mercy and Grace: “God does not burden any soul more than it can bear. All good will be for its own benefit, and all evil will be to its own loss. The believers pray: ‘Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord! Do not place a burden on us like the one you placed on those before us. Our Lord! Do not burden us with what we cannot bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us’” [2:286].

Countless studies, books, and articles have explored the taste, swallowing, and speech capabilities of the human tongue, often regarded as merely a small piece of flesh. One significant distinction between humans and animals lies in our ability to utilize the tongue for language, a capacity not shared by animals. However, what other roles might animal tongues serve?

Suitable for nutrition

The tongue, found in the vast majority of vertebrate animals (with the exception of a small group of frogs), possesses a remarkable flexibility owing to the arrangement of its muscle fibers in a multidirectional web. The variety of tongue structures across animal species reflects differences in their habitats, dietary habits, and lifestyles. It is crucial to note that for most terrestrial vertebrates, survival would be severely compromised without their tongues. In aquatic environments, where food tends to be softer and readily digestible, tongues aid in biting and mixing food with digestive enzymes. Conversely, the multitude of solid and dry foods found on land, including fruits, vegetables, and animal source foods, require soaking and softening for digestion. Animals thus necessitate tongues created in the best convenient form for their body structures and dietary needs to effectively consume such diverse foods. The remarkable diversity in animal tongue morphology underscores the intricate design and adaptation evident in all of creation, suggesting a divine understanding of each creature’s unique characteristics and the provision of suitable organs to match their needs.

Fish species like carp and catfish lack a mobile and extensible tongue, instead possessing a muscular bundle known as the palate. Unlike humans, fish don’t require mobile tongues for swallowing food. They open their jaws wide to expand their throats and pump water through their gill slits forming a bellows-shaped mechanism that generates a powerful suction force, enabling them to swallow food effortlessly without the need for a moving tongue to assist in biting.

In contrast, land animals lack a bellows-like mechanism such as gills to facilitate food swallowing. While they could potentially use air instead of water for suction, air lacks the density to generate a comparable swallowing force. Instead, they are given the tongue, an organ equipped with robust muscles. However, some birds, due to the slender structure of their mouth and neck regions, cannot accommodate a thick tongue. Instead, they have been taught to swallow by utilizing gravity, keeping their heads raised.

The need for food is one explanation among many as to why tongues are in so many different forms, structures, and functions. Some species of salamanders have a sticky tongue which is longer than their body; they catch insects by snapping their tongue at its prey like a whip. Webbed salamanders (Hydromantes) protrude their attached throat skeleton from their mouths, along with their tongues, which is covered with a sticky secretion, to catch insects or spiders. The tongue is then refolded in its former place in the throat with a special mechanism, where it stores energy for a while to be ready to catch the next prey.

Nearly eight thousand species of salamanders and frogs, chameleons and many lizards quickly pull their prey into their mouths by throwing their tongues like ballistic missiles to hunt. Chameleons, for example, catch crickets in less than a tenth of a second by propelling their tongues at a speed close to five meters per second. These tongues are covered, of course not coincidentally, with very small lumps called papillae, which produce a sticky secretion. The secreted saliva is so sticky that the prey, even if it is 50% heavier than the hunter, cannot save itself from it [1].

Horned lizards (Phrynosoma) use their sticky saliva-covered tongues not only to catch prey, but also to protect themselves from the possible danger of their prey. Ants, which are the prey of these lizards, have poisonous and strong bites. However, despite this, horned lizards swallow them alive. In a 2008 study, it was discovered that the dense and sticky slimy substance secreted from the blister-shaped glands on the tongues and throat walls of lizards protects the lizard from the venom of ants [2].

Some animals, such as the mace-headed giant gecko (Rhacodactylus auriculatus) that lives on the island of New Caledonia, use their tongues to clean their eyes. Snakes sniff their surroundings with their forked tongues, that is, the tongue of snakes is the organ of smell, not the organ of taste. The vibrational frequency of their tongues, which are created to locate their distant or hidden prey, varies according to the intensity and distance of the smell. In order to understand the nature of the odor molecules that stick to their tongues from the air, snakes insert their forked tongues into the Jacobson’s organ in their upper palate so that the smell is perceived in their brains. It is amazing that they are created with this mechanism and taught to follow this procedure.

Bird tongues are like surgical instruments of specialist doctors so that they can benefit from different food sources. An important factor in the diversity of tongues in birds is related to the shape of the flowers, which carry the sweet nectar of the plants. The tongue of most birds is made of very little muscle and connective tissue and is covered with a keratin cover. Attached to the root of the tongue is a system of levers made of bone which is tasked to function like a production line, moving the tongue back and forth so the food is transported from front to back. The woodpecker, for instance, inserts its bill into tree cavities and use their specially structured tongue to pull insect larvae into their mouths.

The tongue is the most vital organ for animals which feed on nectar, such as hummingbirds. Their tongues are created to suck high-energy nectar from the depths of the flowers, like a straw. Nectar is easy to find, but the tongue needs to be suitable for the unique structure of the flower. This is of vital importance so the birds can get a drop of nectar at the bottom of these flowers, which are usually long and narrow-throated.

Previously, it was thought that the nectar passively rose up the round and thin straw-like bills with a capillary mechanism. However, research has shown that, contrary to previous understanding, nectar is collected into the grooves on the tongue through the broom-like end, as observed in the Pied Honeyeater (Certhionyx variegatus). It’s been found that the physical capillarity is not fast enough to drink the nectar of flowers, so hummingbirds move their tongues 15 times per second while hovering, running their tongues back and forth like the piston of a pump [3].

We see that not all nectar-feeding birds are like hummingbirds, and that each bird is equipped with a bill and tongue structure suitable for its food. The tongues of the lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus), who are members of the parrot family, are similar to those of humans, but with their fleshy-looking tongues with brush-like tips, they collect nectar from long-necked flowers by turning it into paste. Unlike the lorikeet, which has a brush-like tongue tip, other species of parrots have a grooved tongue tip to collect nectar; their tongues vibrate very quickly to pump nectar into the esophagus [4].

The tongue and hand skills in humans

Xu An, a neurobiologist at Duke University, and his colleagues have discovered an area in the monkeys’ cerebral cortex called the “oromanuel” region that exerts control over both hands and tongue. There are observations suggesting that a similar brain region exists in humans. For example, as the fingers of children who learn to write move, so does their tongue with similar curves. When they focus too much on what they are doing with their hands, we can see that some people unconsciously open their mouths and move their tongues left and right with a certain rhythm. Some scientists do not see this as an oddity and say that these tongue-twisting movements can increase the accuracy of movements in delicate manual work. However, it is difficult to observe this situation because most people have their mouths closed.

By examining the neural activity records in monkeys, information was obtained about how the complex tongue movements involved in feeding, drinking, and perhaps even vocalizations are coordinated in the brain. It has been determined that in a region the size of a penny in the cortex, there are both sensory neurons coming from the tongue and mouth, as well as movement (motor) neurons that are instrumental in controlling tongue movement. In addition, while it was once thought that chewing movement was under the control of the brain stem just as, for instance, walking is, it has been shown that this center occupies a lot of space in the cerebral cortex, and that the curving of the tongue in complex and asymmetrical ways according to the type of food at the time of chewing is controlled very quickly from here.

Tongue saved from teeth

The most important function of the tongue in mammals is to position food so it is properly chewed and swallowed. Have you ever thought about how agile our tongue must be to stay between our teeth and not get bitten when we talk or chew food? Depending on the species, it takes great timing to shift the food from one side of the mouth to the other with each bite, or to limit it to just one side, keeping the tongue itself safely away from the teeth so that it can’t be bitten. Then, with the addition of secreted, slippery, and softening saliva, the tongue, with appropriate movements, forms the food into a round bite that can easily pass through the throat. Finally, when pushing this bite into the esophagus to be swallowed, a precise adjustment is observed so that not even a small piece escapes into the airways.

Shape and volume ratio

The human tongue, like a water balloon, is a muscular hydrostat whose total volume of mass must remain the same, no matter how much its shape changes. Therefore, when we stick out our tongue, it becomes thinner and longer compared to its bulk shape in the mouth. Similar movements apply when the giraffe’s purple-colored tongue which extends 45–50 cm outward to collect leaves from a thorny tree branch.

In addition to functions such as assisting in eating and distinguishing between thousands of different tastes, the human tongue is unique in helping us speak our complex languages. This is possible because of our tongue’s ability to change shape easily. For the tongue to instantly convolute according to the thousands of words formed in the mind and send food to the pharynx without being bitten, there must be centers in the brain with very different and complex neuron units. The brain is responsible for adjusting all body behaviors by informing other parts of the brain about the processes in these centers. For example, the management of hundreds of functions, such as grimacing because of a sour taste or the immediate reflection of a sudden change in our thinking while speaking and in our choice of words seem to be under the control of neurons in these centers. Looking at these amazing activities, one surely seeks a source of power and wisdom beyond biological structures – neurons or otherwise – that can command all the nerves and atoms in our body.

In all species, the tongue is equipped with taste buds in order to be able to “gate” in directing nutrition and to understand the nature of food. All these special skills given to the tongue enable mammals to eat more food faster and in greater quantities than other vertebrates and to digest this food efficiently. Thanks to this feature given to their tongues, mammals can have their high metabolic rate and activity, both the mother and offspring can be nourished during long-term pregnancies, and the energy needs of large brains are met.

The tongue, which is braided by a complex network of muscle fibers that can move in complex ways, contributes to sucking in most species, but in others, such as dogs, it helps thermoregulation (heat regulation). The excess heat of their bodies, which get very hot by running, is cooled by sticking their tongues out. Bats, on the other hand, click their tongues to produce sounds that are used for echolocation (locating and locating by sound).

A home for microbes

Our tongue is also home to a complex community of bacteria that can affect our health. According to Jessica Mark Welch, a microbial ecologist at the Forsyth Institute, the tongue is an unknown and very important part of the human microbiome as an important source of bacteria. Welch says that the proportions of these microbes vary from person to person, but each bacterial community may have a specific function. For example, the bacterium called Veillonella on our tongue contributes to the regulation of blood pressure by performing the function of converting nitrate to nitrite, which the human body cannot do without. Other bacteria are also thought to possibly play a role in regulating the immune system [5].

We started with a tiny piece of meat, but as we finished it, I hope we understood that our tongue, which is a miracle of creation, is not a small and simple piece of meat.

References

1. C. A. Noel, D. L. Hu, “The tongue as a gripper”, Journal of Experimental Biology, 2018, 221/7, s. 1–10.
2. W. C. Sherbrooke, K. Schwenk, “Horned lizards (Phrynosoma) incapacitate dangerous ant prey with mucus”, Jez-A Ecological and Integrative Physiology, 2008, 309A/8, s. 447–459.
3. A. E. Hewes et al. “Variable evidence for convergence in morphology and function across avian nectarivores”, Journal of Morphology, 2022, 283/12, s. 1483–1504.
4. A. Rico-Guevara et al. “Nectar feeding beyond the tongue: hummingbirds drink using phase-shifted bill opening, flexible tongue flaps and wringing at the tips”, Journal of Experimental Biology, 2023, 226 (Suppl. 1), s. 9356–9360.
5. S. A. Wilbert et al. “Spatial ecology of the human tongue dorsum microbiome”, Cell Rep, 24 Mar 2020, 30/12, s. 4003–4015.

From remarkably accurate phone predictions to self-navigating robot vacuums, artificial intelligence (AI) subtly weaves itself into the fabric of our daily lives. Yet, amidst the buzz and intrigue, a crucial paradox emerges: Is AI a torch illuminating the path of progress, or a looming shadow threatening our future? Is it all sunshine and rainbows, or should we fear it is on the path to world domination?

The truth, as is often the case, lies somewhere between these fantastical narratives and dystopian anxieties. Unlike the villains of fiction, AI itself is not inherently dangerous. It is a powerful tool, like any technology, whose impact depends on the hands that manipulate it. AI can be considered as a super-intelligent student, constantly learning, and evolving. This potential unleashes a world of possibilities including but not limited to self-driving cars navigating roads with unparalleled safety, or AI doctors analyzing medical scans with superhuman accuracy. However, like any student, AI can make mistakes. Some worry about potential biases leading to unfair decisions, while others express concerns about job displacement by automated systems. These are valid anxieties, highlighting the critical need for open discourse and responsible development.

This can be a journey into the fascinating world of AI, seeking not just to uncover its exciting possibilities, but also to confront the challenges it presents. By understanding the core of AI and its capabilities, we can all become active participants in shaping its future, ensuring it benefits everyone, not just a select few. This can be achieved together, dispelling misconceptions, and charting a course for a responsible and ethical future with AI.

Shaping the future responsibly: ethical concerns

It is natural to have concerns, especially when something sounds as powerful as AI. While the potential of AI and computer technology to revolutionize our world is undeniable, it is crucial to acknowledge the potential pitfalls that accompany this progress. This section delves into the ethical concerns voiced by prominent thinkers and experts, exploring the challenges facing AI and computing and examining solutions for navigating them responsibly.

Weapons of “math destruction”: inequalities

Cathy O’Neil, Ph.D., is the CEO of ORCAA, an algorithmic auditing company, and a member of the Public Interest Tech Lab at the Harvard Kennedy School [1]. Cathy O’Neil’s 2016 book, Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy [2], critically examines the impact of big data algorithms on society, particularly their role in exacerbating existing inequalities across various sectors like insurance, advertising, education, and law enforcement. The work, which was a contender for the 2016 National Book Award for Nonfiction but did not make the final cut, has received widespread acclaim, and secured the Euler Book Prize [3]. O’Neil, leveraging her expertise in mathematics, delves into how these algorithms, despite their neutral appearance, often result in outcomes that disadvantage the economically challenged and racially marginalized, effectively reinforcing systemic biases.

She highlights the detrimental impact of discriminatory algorithms, illustrating how they can deny opportunities to the underprivileged, such as a poor student being denied a loan due to perceived risks associated with their address or residence. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty, undermining democratic values by favoring the privileged and disadvantaging the less fortunate. O’Neil argues these algorithms, which she terms Weapons of Math Destruction, are opaque, unregulated, and challenging to oppose, and their scalability means biases are magnified, affecting larger segments of the population and entrenching discrimination.

Algorithms of oppression: how search engines reinforce racism

Safiya Umoja Noble is a notable figure in this domain as the Director of the Center on Race and Digital Justice and Co-Director of the Minderoo Initiative on Tech and Power at the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry. Dr. Noble is also a board member of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, serving those vulnerable to online harassment, and provides expertise to a number of civil and human rights organizations. [4].

Professor Noble is the author of the best-selling book on racist and sexist algorithmic harm in commercial search engines, entitled Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism (NYU Press) [5], which has been widely reviewed in scholarly and popular publications [4]. She delves into the impact of search engine algorithms within the realms of information science, machine learning, and human-computer interaction. Noble’s journey to this work began after observing biased search results while studying sociology and later pursuing a master’s in library and information science. The book, inspired by the problematic search results related to “black girls,” critiques the racist and sexist biases embedded in search engines. Noble, who transitioned into academia, further explored these themes, culminating in the publication of this critical analysis in 2018 [6].

For six years, Dr. Noble dove into the world of Google search, uncovering a disturbing truth: Search results can be biased! Her book argues that these algorithms mirror and amplify racism in society, harming women of color in particular. She compares the search results of “Black girls” and “white girls.” She shows how the algorithm favors whiteness, linking it with positive terms. This bias leads to negative consequences like unfair profiling and economic disadvantages for marginalized groups. Examining race and gender together is a unique approach in the book. Her approach emphasizes how different women experience oppression in unusual ways. The book suggests that this bias is not limited to search engines but exists in other technologies such as facial recognition.

While many recent technologies claim to be unbiased, Dr. Noble argues they often “repeat the problems they’re supposed to solve.“ Her work reminds us to be critical of the technology we use and fight against the biases it may hold. Only then can we create a truly fair and just digital world.

Automating inequality

Virginia Eubanks is an American political scientist, professor, and author studying technology and social justice. Previously Eubanks was a Fellow at New America researching digital privacy, economic inequality, and data-based discrimination [7].

Eubanks has written and co-edited multiple award-winning books, the most well-known being Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor [8]. Her book uncovers the harm generated by computer algorithms to replace human decisions and how they negatively impact the financially disadvantaged. She clearly depicts how automated systems in public services disproportionately affect the poor and working class. By coining the term “digital poorhouse,” she criticizes the automation of welfare and other services, calling for a humane approach to technology policy that prioritizes social responsibility.

Coded bias

Coded Bias [9] is a documentary by Shalini Kantayya displayed at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. This thought breaking documentary explores the fallout of MIT Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini’s discovery that facial recognition does not see dark-skinned faces accurately, and her journey to push for the first-ever legislation in the U.S. to govern against bias in the algorithms that impact us all featuring insights from notable researchers on the biases in facial recognition technology and its societal implications. Kantayya’s journey from discovering algorithms through O’Neil’s book Weapons of Math Destruction [2] to exploring Joy Buolamwini’s research underscores the critical need for awareness and action against biased AI [10].

This documentary explores the troubling reality of bias embedded within artificial intelligence (AI). It all began with MIT researcher Joy Buolamwini’s startling discovery: facial recognition systems could not recognize her face. Driven to understand this failure, she unraveled a deeply concerning truth – these systems were biased, malfunctioning specifically with darker skin tones [9], [10].

Coded Bias goes beyond this unsettling revelation, uncovering the broader impact of AI bias on marginalized communities. From housing discrimination to unfair hiring practices, the film exposes how algorithms can perpetuate inequalities in crucial areas like healthcare, credit scoring, education, and the legal system. The lack of legal frameworks for AI as the documentary argues, allows such human rights violations to occur unchecked [9], [10].

Algorithmic Justice League

Fueled by her findings, Buolamwini did not just raise awareness; she took action. Testifying before Congress and founding the Algorithmic Justice League (AJL) in 2016 [11]. She became a powerful voice fighting for responsible AI development and a fairer digital future for all. Through research, art, and advocacy, the AJL is dedicated to challenging biases in AI and aims to foster a more equitable digital world, recognized by Fast Company in 2021 as one of the most innovative AI organizations globally [11].

Navigating the ethical landscape of AI

We have all seen the cool AI stuff in movies: robots doing chores, computers reading minds, maybe even flying cars. However, there has been a lot of buzz about the dark side of AI as mentioned above, like biased algorithms making unfair decisions or even robots taking our jobs. So, should we be in love with AI or scared?

The answer is: IT DEPENDS! AI is a powerful tool, like a fancy new hammer. In the wrong hands, it could cause damage. But in the right hands, it can build amazing things. The key is making sure those hands are responsible and ethical.

Where are the gaps?

The sources mentioned paint a clear picture and awareness that AI’s potential pitfalls are growing, but the solutions remain in their embryonic stages. Acknowledging the issues is one thing; the real challenge lies in translating that awareness into action. Humanity is still figuring out how to use this hammer responsibly. AI itself is not inherently dangerous. The danger lies in the intent behind its development and deployment. Just as fire, nuclear energy, and biological research hold immense potential for both good and harm, ethical considerations and responsible use are paramount. The emphasis should be on the emergency of action, urging sensible, compassionate, and conscious people to step forward and contribute to shaping a beneficial future for humanity. This call resonates deeply for all of us. To ensure AI serves as a force for good, we must actively participate in shaping its development and implementation, starting with the actions outlined here.

Here is where we can step in:

Deeper training of the builders: The teams behind the AI systems are the key to a better future. Equipping developers with cultural sensitivity and fostering diverse teams who understand various cultures and backgrounds are crucial steps towards mitigating unintentional biases. This helps them avoid accidentally building biases into their products, just like learning carpentry helps you avoid hammering your thumb!

Diversity and inclusivity of the data: AI is like textbooks that only tell one side of the story when AI uses limited data. We need to include different perspectives and continuously update the information, just like keeping the applications of smart phones or devices up to date. Expanding educational datasets to encompass various perspectives and regularly incorporating feedback from diverse groups will help ensure inclusivity and avoid perpetuating censorship.

Being transparent and opening the black box: Imagine a magic trick where you cannot see how the illusion works. That is how some AI systems feel. Making them more transparent, like explaining how they make decisions, and demystifying decision-making algorithms through transparency leads to trust and allows for scrutiny which is critical for addressing potential injustices.

Broadening governance and sharing the power: If only some privileged entities have the power to decide the rules of a game, it is not fair. Unfortunately, we can observe the same unfairness for the rules of AI. Diverse groups must be involved in making decisions, not just a few powerful companies or countries. Moving away from unilateral control towards multi-stakeholder involvement in regulations will ensure diverse perspectives are considered and prevent undue influence by specific entities.

Final Words

The discussion around AI ethics will undoubtedly continue to evolve. By actively engaging in these conversations, supporting initiatives that align with our values, and holding developers and regulators accountable, we can work towards a future where AI empowers and uplifts, not divides and harms.

AI is not bad in itself. It is like fire – it can cook your dinner or burn down your house, depending on how you use it. The important thing is to be aware of the risks and work together to make sure AI benefits everyone, not just a few privileged classes.

So, let’s roll up our sleeves, grab that metaphorical AI hammer, and build a future where this technology works for us, not against us. It is up to all of us to make sure AI becomes a force for good, not a sci-fi nightmare.

Remember, the power lies in collective action. We can definitely build the future we want, together.

References

1. https://cathyoneil.org
2. O’Neil, C. (2017). Weapons of Math Destruction. Harlow, England: Penguin Books.
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapons_of_Math_Destruction
4. https://safiyaunoble.com/
5. Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism.New York University Press.
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithms_of_Oppression
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Eubanks
8. Eubanks, V. (2018). Automating inequality: how high-tech tools profile, police, and punish the poor. First edition. New York, NY, St. Martin’s Press.
9. https://www.codedbias.com/
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coded_Bias
11. https://www.ajl.org/