Aromatherapy involved inhaling pleasant smells and is a non-medicinal form of treatment for various psychological disorders. A nice smell triggers hormones of happiness (serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphin) and helps overcome depression by stimulating the brain. A smell disorder is a malfunction that might even indicate neurological and psychological illnesses. One of the most crucial parts of the brain that is impacted by Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s is the region that specializes in sense of smell. We mostly fail to notice what a blessing it is to be able to smell until we lose it. Otherwise, we are exposed to thousands of different smells every day.

Even minor issues with the nose can cause major inconveniences. Nasal congestion lessens the quality of everyday life: it is hard to sleep with a congested nose; even if you manage to fall sleep, the quality of sleep drops significantly.

The magnificent functions of the nose are as follows:

1. Sense of smell enables us to identify beneficial and harmful things and keep away from harmful ones. The nose helps spread the feeling of peace and happiness produced by nice smells that influence the spirit through the brain (olfaction).
2. The nose helps protect the respiratory passage from diseases by moistening and heating the inhaled air as it is carried to the lungs and cleaning foreign objects from the lungs with the mucus it secretes (inspiration and regulation).
3. It regulates the resonance of sound vibrations formed in the vocal cords, thereby virtually acting as loudspeakers (phonation).

These functions are miraculous, and yet we never contemplate them or their perfect engineering.

The nose: our body’s air-conditioning device

Before inhaled air reaches our lungs, it passes a turbulent current through the nose, which is by all means a perfect air-conditioning device and air filter.

Air that enters the nasal cavities through the nostrils flows through inner nasal canals to the nasopharynx (upper-frontal pharynx). It then flows down the pharynx to the larynx and finally to the lungs. Inside the nostrils are hairs that trap and filter dust, sand, pollen, and little bugs. Cleaned of these particles, air then passes through canals (meatus), which are anatomical engineering wonders in each nostril, and over turbinal structures (conchae) (Figure 1).

The exterior of these scroll-shaped canals in the nasal cavity are lined with a moist layer that secretes the fluid called mucus. Thanks to the magnificent architecture of the air conditioning chimney made up of these canals and folds, particles of dust are retained by this mucosa membrane. On this membrane there are also thin hairs (cilia) which constantly wave to and fro. This movement carries particles of dust not toward the lungs but toward the nostrils, which are then expelled when the person sneezes or blows the nose. If it were not for this precisely built structure, the inhaled air would directly go to the lungs without undergoing cleaning.

The inner working of the nose also heat or cool air, as necessary. The mucosa that lines the inside of the nose is rich in capillaries and mucus secretion. As inhaled air travels through the nose, it both warms up by absorbing heat from the blood in the mucosa veins and gains moisture by absorbing it from the mucosa. For example, when a person inhales through air from a room where the temperature is 20-22°C (68-71°F), the air heats up to 32-35°C (89-95°F) and becomes 95-98% moist by the time it reaches the larynx. If the same person breathes in through the mouth in the same room, the inhaled air can warm only up to 28–30°C (82-86°F) and reach a moisture point of 80-85%.

Without the nose, air would not be heated, moistened, and purified. The dusty, dirty, or cold air we inhale would directly go to the lungs, which would cause frequent illnesses in them and the upper respiratory tract.

How do we smell?

The nose is created with the ability to distinguish about ten thousand different smells. Its magnificent architecture is a perfect means of transport that facilitates the sense of smell in our brain, which is the real center of smell in our body. As this sense of smell function in our body, we take pleasure out of it in our soul.

The “smell molecules” communicated through the air first reach the receptors in the “olfactory epithelium” in the upper region of the nose that is equipped with a multitude of nerve cells. The stimulus that is converted into an electrical signal in this epithelium is conveyed to the smell center in the brain through olfactory nerves (Figure 2). All this process the smell molecules go through in the nose and the brain interact and impact with our soul in such a subtle way that we take delight and even be healed.

The sense of smell in certain animals (especially in dogs, moths, and some fish species) is hundreds of times more sensitive than in humans. For these animals, it is crucial for finding food and their survival.

The inability to perceive smells, or “smell blindness” (also called “anomia” in medicine), can be temporary or permanent depending on the underlying factor. Anomia is usually temporary in cases of the flu, cold, bad sinus congestion, or allergies. A decrease in olfactory sensitivity (hyposmia) can also be caused by nasal congestion, enlarged adenoids, nasal polyps, nasal deviations, or concha bullosa, which prevent air currents from reaching the olfactory region. The sense of smell usually recovers when these anatomical abnormalities are corrected; only in cases when duration of sinusitis is prolonged, namely when it becomes chronic, does loss of smell become permanent.

The impact of the nose on our voice quality

We can feel the effect of our nose on our voice quality, such as when the voice changes due to congestion or closing the nostrils with our fingers. Experienced physicians can immediately diagnose nasal congestion from the way a patient talks. Life is indeed an ordeal for people who cannot breathe easily through their noses.

Air cleared of germs

Nasal mucus is a slightly acidic secretion that carries an antibody called “immune globulin A” (IgA). Its slight acidity as well as the antibody in it allows the mucus to eliminate various germs, and the respiratory tracts are thus protected against perilous sources of illness.

The tiny sweeping hairs that line the interior of the nose can break down or stop working altogether because of certain germs, particularly viruses that cause the flu, filthy and dry air, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and cigarette smoke. Because nasal cleaning is disrupted, disease-inducing microorganisms can easily cause upper respiratory tract inflammation and other serious infections.

 The nose’s role in taste

Smell is crucial for a better perception of taste. Indeed, when there is a problem with the function of smell, a person’s sense of taste suffers, too. Nice smells have a favorable impact on the sense of smell. If we could not detect the bad smell of a rotten, harmful food item, we would not be able to stop ourselves from eating it and harming our body.

The importance of smell is highlighted in religious traditions. It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, mentioned putting on pleasant perfumes among other things that were the traditions of the messengers of God. Clippings from mush, camphor, amber or aloeswood were also burnt in the Prophet’s home for their pleasant scents.

Humans rarely consider their sense of smell. In fact, we tend to take it for granted. But through the nose’s perfect design, we are to smell and taste so much of the world around us, which is surely an everyday miracle.

Figure 1: The magnificent design of the anatomy of the nose

Figure 2: The awe-inspiring structure of the olfactory region

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As a highly competitive and commodified industry, sport is not only a weekend, sit-on-the-couch pastime, but is also a political arena where ideologies fight. The recent “take a knee” protest in the US is not a standalone incident. From the ancient Olympic Games to modern-day World Cups, sports have been a means of national pride, and the athletes are considered heroes. Their lifestyles, opinions, and choices are always newsworthy, even if these choices mainly relate to their home countries thousands of miles away.  

One striking recent case is that of Enes Kanter, NBA’s Turkish star, who is at odds with the current Turkish government. Kanter (25) has been an open critic of the government’s corruption. After the July 2016 coup attempt, he started speaking up even more loudly to protest the government’s persecution of tens of thousands of innocent citizens. Justin Pahl talked with Kanter on his life as a devout Muslim in the NBA and on his struggle as an advocate for the oppressed in his home country.

As a follow-up to the story of Abraham (pbuh) in the previous issue, here comes the story of Joseph (pbuh). Two authors, one Muslim and the other Christian, shares their respective scripture’s narratives about the fantastic life of one of the most well-known figures of human history. Joseph (pbuh) is not only a common name in the Abrahamic traditions; his story is filled with many morals to reflect upon, even if they are not Muslim, Christian, or Jewish.

Air, water, bread, and yes, social media – these are some of life’s essentials. No one seems to be unhappy because they are able to tweet or post on Facebook. But, Sage Chen thinks social media is no different than an authoritarian state. With all the data we freely share on social media, we are allowing the platforms we use to have access to an extraordinary amount of our personal information, much of which we would not normally share with others. Chen discusses the many implications of widespread social media use on security, commerce, and privacy.

Flies have two wings that are capable of moving independently from each other; these wings go back and forth on a single axis during flight. Technically, the unequal angles of the wings to the abdominal region could have prevented flight. Yet in the case of flies, this abnormal situation is not a hindrance and results in a harmonious wing stroke.

Let’s bring our palms together over our head and then lower them near our legs. How many times can we make this movement in a second? Let’s say two, three, or maybe four times if we are really quick. Flies have the ability to stroke their wings hundreds of times in just a second. There are benefits associated with this series of movements. The surface of the wings and the rear section of the head are equipped with sensitive hairs that are in charge of registering air currents and mechanical pressures and conducting relevant flight data to the brain. The unwanted effects of air currents towards the body surface and wings during the flight are detected via these hairs that house receptors. Thus, the wings are controlled according to the signals arriving from the brain. Therefore, a fly can feel an air curtain (like an insect screen) against it instantly and often times flies away. Sometimes, they also stroke their wings hundreds of times per second to avoid the negative effects of air resistance on the wings. Without these receptors and serial wing movements, the air current would stick to the wing’s surface and would not let the fly, well, fly.

Is it a fly or a plane?

We sometimes witness comparisons between the flight specifications of planes and flies. However, it is a great injustice to the fly to be put in the same basket as a plane. The products of modern technology, such as a plane, are invented after drawing inspiration from the meaningful skills of animals like a fly. It is not possible to build planes with a wing width smaller than 15 centimeters; there are disadvantages to wings smaller than that in terms of generating lift. On the other hand, flies have much smaller and more fragile wing structures (relative to their bodies) and can maintain their flight in a perfect fashion. When a fly extends its rear legs, covered with hairs designed especially for cleaning the wings, and sweeps them over its wings, doesn’t this suggest a fly is more impressive than a plane?

It challenges mountaineers!

A fly challenges mountain climbers by easily moving on the four walls and ceiling of a room – and even on slippery surfaces like glass. What is its secret?

Its ability to stand or walk on the ceiling without being defeated by gravity is possible via some of its organs. The final sections of fly’s legs are like hooks and the tip of this hook is equipped with suction pads. When flies touch a surface, a sticky fluid is secreted from the suction pads. Flies can remain suspended on the ceiling with the help of this fluid. When it approaches the ceiling, extends its legs to the front and flips towards the opposite direction of its approach, it sticks to the ceiling on its abdomen.

The grand architecture in the eye of the fly

Can you complete a jigsaw puzzle of 8000 pieces in a second without any missing pieces? It seems impossible, but let’s accept that you have. Can you fit this puzzle into an area that’s just a couple of square millimeters? It’s not possible for a man of intelligence to pass this test. However, the fly completes this miraculous task every time it uses its eyes in our rooms. We are unaware of the fact that the fly, which draws patterns of colors under the sun light, has such amazing eyes. Its eye is created to contain nearly 8000 ommatidium, which function almost as small eyes. Different areas can be seen via each ommatidium and once images are put together in the brain, the whole picture forms. Through these tiny eyes, shaped as hexagons that resemble honey combs, a fly can see as close as 2 mm – and can even see behind its body! Because of the wise hexagonal design, the ommatidia are placed in the most economical way possible; there are no missing spaces which could cause a lack of clarity. The optical speed of a fly’s eye is nearly 4-10 times faster than the human eye. Flies can see the ultraviolet section of the light spectrum and this allows them to evade predators easily in dim environments. Every time a fly uses its eyes, it’s as if it gives the message, “Look at how miraculously I’ve been created. Do you think that my creation could have been in vain?” Such complexity is an inspiration to scientists as they try to develop new technologies.

One of the features of flies that surprises scientists most is the way they use a neural network of a very limited number of neurons to perform so many complex movements. Biologist Michael Dickinson expresses his astonishment as to how a neural system of such small scale can accomplish all of these features.

Do not ever kill a fly!

Flies consume plenty of energy during flight. A regular supply of oxygen is needed to compensate for the energy they use. Air is inhaled via a constriction of the abdominal muscles when the fly lands on a surface. However, during the flight, air enters via the serial movements of the wings. Air that enters through the openings of the chitin layer surrounding the fly is transported to cells via small channels.

Flies locate their food via their smell receptors. Thus, a fly in the air easily lands on the food source that it detects. The taste organ detects whether the food is an ideal source or not. Usually, their choices of food are human foods, waste remains, and dirt. There are two tubes located in the mouth of the house fly. It sucks liquid food with one of the tubes; saliva containing enzymes is secreted on the food source with the other hose so that digestion is facilitated. A fly secretes plenty of saliva in order to liquefy the solid foods it prefers.

Flies that use dirt and waste as a nutritional source are considered as disease contracting pests. However, this is a major fallacy. Flies are actually the health officers of the ecosystem. They turn microorganisms ineffective as they take in their food; the digestive enzymes that they carry play role in completing this important task. Due to this important task, it should be remembered that killing a fly is very unfortunate. Great scholar, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, notes that flies are assigned to terminate unhealthy microorganisms and materials.

Scientists led by Prof. Andy Beattie have noticed that flies are resistant to all kinds of dirt, including from meat and manure. He said that these organisms should be super resistant to infections, otherwise they could not survive and that our work to gain antibiotics from them has been partially successful. In fact, studies focused on obtaining antibiotics from flies started in the past century. English and Swedish scientists isolated certain antibiotics from flies in 1930 and 1947. Efforts to isolate antibiotics from flies continue today.

Reproduction in black flies!

Black flies reproduce quickly. In suitable humidity and temperature, eggs start to hatch in just 10 hours. Larvae feed on liquid materials, though they need bacteria living on solid food to convert it into liquid form. Therefore, an acid is secreted inside the digestive track of the fly that can terminate most of the bacteria. Thus, the insect becomes free of bacteria, ready to fly. One fly can lay more than 100 eggs at one time and between 600 and 1000 in their lifetime. They can lay eggs again after just three days.

When looking at the information we have, it’s clear that flies are acrobatic flight masters with mind blowing features. We should abandon the negativity towards flies and contemplate the perfection of creation by considering their many remarkable skills – and working to discover even more secrets about them.

The dispersal of scent takes place via the thermal and light-like behavior of the fragrant particles in the air. Thousands of points, letters, and words are positioned in each and every air particle. Each molecule is created in a form to carry sounds, sights, and odor. Millions of sound waves, scents and images are being transported and translocated into each of the trillions of air particles without deforming or mixing. As our knowledge pertaining to this transport grows, new technological products that will enable the transport of odors will be offered to the service of mankind.

Our sense of smell occurs in the brain. The chemical molecules exiting a lemon peel stimulate the odor receptors in the nose, which are then transmitted to brain to be interpreted as electric signals. Our olfactory system can easily distinguish more than ten thousand scents. This has inspired scientists to design similar devices. These models are called “electronic noses.”

A series of chemical receptors are utilized in the electronic nose instead of the receptor proteins of the human nose. Each of these is designed to sense various scents. These devices are difficult to produce, as the cost grows for a more sensitive device. The signals that sensors collect from the environment are converted into binary codes via electronic systems and then sent to a computer. The role of human nerve cells in charge of sensing odor is replaced by the electronic systems of a computer.

Mostly in their early phases, electronic noses are beginning to be used in various sectors, primarily those involving foods and perfumes, as well as the medical and chemical industries.

How does odor transportation take place?

As I already mentioned, the aromatic molecules transported via air particles in their gaseous state are detected by the smell sensor system and converted into electric signals. Quite a few different materials are used as conductors: conductive polymers, semi-conductive metal oxides, a quartz-crystal micro-balance (QMB), surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors, pellistors, and infrared sensors.

Once the electric signals are converted into binary, the odor information is determined via a software program in which algorithms such as artificial nerve networks and support vector machines are employed. This information is then transmitted to a remote medium via lines of communication, such as a computer network, the internet, or another form of mobile communication. The odor type is received in the target computer. This detection stage can be completed in the target PC when necessary.

Today’s technology can only permit the transmission of odor data. In order to perceive the transmitted information at the target location as smell, the scents must be present as stored in containers and must be triggered via received odor data to be dispersed. The research in this field is limited, with ongoing pilot studies.

How can diseases be diagnosed with odors?

The natural functions of the human body, such as sweat, blood, urine, and feces, can be used to help diagnose diseases. The odor of the gases in human breath holds significant information regarding body health. There are between two hundred and four hundred different gases found in human breath. Furthermore, the number of gas types detected and described in the breath can exceed three thousand. While blood gets cleaned in the lungs, the gases of the used blood pass to the breath via the alveoli. Therefore, many critical pieces of bodily information are present in the breath.

The gases exhaled through our breath are composed of various alkaline and aromatic compounds. Each of these is a potential indicator that provides information about a disease. The gases and their ratio in the breath of a healthy person are well established. Since the ratio of the gases in the breath gets altered depending on the cause of an illness – such as diabetes (Type I and II), cancer of the ear-nose-throat, tuberculosis, and women’s reproductive diseases – can be diagnosed by utilizing the electronic nose.

There are other uses for the technology, too. NASA is developing a highly sensitive artificial nose for space research. This device will almost be able to distinguish every type of chemical compound, making more sensitive measurements than a human nose. With this device, the detection of harmful substances in the space station will be possible.

Google has announced that significant progress has been made regarding the “Google nose” which helped revolutionize searching for aromas. The Google Aroma database (http://www.google.com.tr/intl/tr/landing/nose/) stores more than 15 million kinds of scent. The days when we will be able to smell the scent of any product through our internet based devices do not seem to be too distant. To make this possible, sound waves would be converted into odor signals. There is a partially-imaginary video prepared to show how this can feel.

New technologies will change our relationship with smell, which has always been deeply important to humanity. Reference is made of this in the Qur’an, especially when the Prophet Jacob of Canaan sensed the fragrance of his son, Joseph, who was hundreds of miles away. The verse, from the chapter of Joseph, reads, “Surely, I sense the fragrance of Joseph, unless you would consider me a dotard. “It shows how valuable scent is to us, as anyone who has had a long lost memory triggered by an unexpected smell understands. As the verse suggests, losing our sense of smell is akin to losing our minds. Research has borne this out, as one of the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease is the loss of smell. In fact, monitoring loss of scent has helped with the early detection and prevention of Alzheimer’s. This is yet another way that our body has been perfectly calibrated to cue us in to its messages. In this regard, as with many, technology is still trying to catch up to nature.

“I am an aerodynamicist. I ask myself, by subscribing to aerodynamicism and providing mechanical explanations devoid of conscience, am I committing a murder against air? What if the air’s motion is the embodiment of conscious acts with feelings?”

Have you ever thought of the mechanics of a murder? Yes, the mechanics of a murder! Given an object with 50 grams of mass at point A, with a velocity of 400 m/s, the time it takes to reach point B, which is 4 meters away, is approximately 10 milliseconds. When this mass reaches point B, it contacts a surface that can sustain a maximum of 90 m/s2 acceleration. Because the momentum of the 50 gram object is high enough to overcome this limit, it penetrates this surface. As it cuts through the target object, its kinetic energy is converted to heat. Eventually, the 50 gram object comes to a stop, but the path it has opened now becomes filled with a red-colored, non-Newtonian fluid whose density is 1060 kg/m3 and whose viscosity is 3.5 x 10-3 Pa.s. When this fluid flow stops due to a process called agglutination, or commonly known as clotting, the whole system achieves a steady-state behavior, i.e. all motions come to a halt.

“All motions come to a halt”: that is death. This explanation could be the murder of your parent who was assassinated while working for the good of your country, or your family members who were martyred during a war. And this scientific picture made of dead words cannot portray the love and sorrow gushing out of your eyes. But I can tell you where your love and sorrow can be found.

Loving means being vulnerable, and you know why? Because when you love someone, their presence stimulates the release of dopamine in your brain. Dopamine is the hormone that lowers the threshold of feeling pleasure and pain, thus you feel pleased and hurt more easily. Your emotional devastation is nothing but an accumulation of dopamine in your brain. Just wait until it diffuses completely. As the common wisdom says: time heals everything.

Loving also means bonding, and you know why? Because when you love someone, their presence stimulates the release of oxytocin in your body. Oxytocin is the hormone that accompanies the feeling of serenity while with your loved one. It also functions in pair bonding and fidelity. The terror in your mind and the brokenness in your soul in the aftermath of your loss is only a hunger for oxytocin.

What did you say? My explanations would not console you? See a psychiatrist and take some pills to balance your hormone levels. Don’t worry. Everything is going to be all right.

That’s Enough!

I cannot take it anymore. I can’t go on with my life when one side of my being is tortured by the other. Did you, too, feel tormented by the explanations I just told you? These words are coming from the cold chamber of science, where all emotions are to be kept dead-frozen. Isn’t it a murder in itself?

I am an aerodynamicist. Calling myself an aerodynamicist recalls an ideology that hasn’t been named, that doesn’t exist in encyclopedias: aerodynamicism. Aerodynamicism has its own dogmas, rules, methods. It tells you that air is just another fluid whose behavior can be studied through mathematics and experiments. So, I ask myself, by subscribing to aerodynamicism and providing mechanical explanations devoid of conscience, am I committing a murder against air? What if the air’s motion is the embodiment of conscious acts with feelings?

Perhaps I should listen to the air itself, instead of what others say about it. Maybe I should at least give air a chance to show me that it is actually alive, that it has emotions. So I stand atop a hill overlooking a bay. I keep silent, and try to remove the scientific knowledge that is clogging my ears. And I start hearing something:

It is the wind. As the air approaches my body, it slows down, forms a stationary layer right around my torso. Around this layer, it paces gradually towards my back. Behind my arms, it forms small vortices that are shed along with the wind. What I am hearing is actually the sound of the friction between my ear and the air. And the whistling sound is the vortex-shedding triggered by the separation of the air’s flow from the body’s surface. Hey, hey, hey… I thought I was listening to the air! This is not air! This is my self, forging mechanical shapes and passing them off as if they belong to air. If air has feelings, it must be very disappointed by my hypocritical pose of listening. I just invited it into my lungs for an intimate conversation, but I aborted that conversation with my scientific thoughts.

I should apologize. With my eyes closed and arms wide open, I allow my whole being to be embraced by air. “I am sorry. I hope I did not hurt your feelings. Are you crying?”

“Crying only ends with the act of shedding tears, but it starts long before when someone hurts the love inherent in creation. I am crying. I want to shed my tears, each like a galaxy, to the expanse of the universe till the end of time. Isn’t there someone out there to hear me?”

“Why do you feel so alone?”

“I feel alone because I am different. Although I visit many people and many places every day, it is a very routine interaction going on between me and everything else: mundane tasks to be performed without intimacy. Like the two parties in a business. Once the mutual interests are delivered, the relationship is over. No loyalty, no love. I imagine myself like a chunk of meat going through a meat grinder. This is a meaningless, merciless flow where your identity or existence means nothing special. So, why would I talk to those people about my private world anyway? Instead, just a few words about the weather…”

“I wish I could do something for you!”

“The Creator didn’t give me eyes so that I would embrace everyone, good or bad; so that every individual in this world is cared for. So, I would like to become friends and feel the warmth of their presence. Often I ask myself when they are going to notice that I am offering my love by hugging them. At least, I wish they saw my tears upon my separation from them…”

At first, I didn’t consider air as a living being! But now, I was learning that air was hugging me! And it was crying, too? Could the mechanical explanations be blinding me towards the reality behind the observations? If that were the case, the flow separation and vortex shedding were actually manifestations of melancholy. How is it possible that I am so distant to someone that is so close to me? My turbulence inside exhibited itself as a silence outside. At least, so, I thought. But I couldn’t be further from reality.

“I am used to this kind of silence. Despite their nonchalance towards me, I still care a lot about people. And using the subtle clues in their words and voices, I can penetrate into their psyche.”

Someone who knows me better than I? And I can’t even see that someone! When and how have I become its focus of attention?

“With their first breaths and cries in life, I start observing them from within.”

From within?

“With every breath, I become part of their souls, and with every utterance, I become part of their connections. Sometimes, I feel their inner pains through the trembling in their voices; the pains that they are ardently hiding even from themselves. As I leave them in that state, I break into a thousand pieces. But, the Creator made me invisible. So, none of what I learn about them is revealed to the eyes of strangers. Thus, I make a reticent confidant.”

I was totally conquered by these words. I found myself whispering “Not just reticent! You are a reticent and affectionate companion that anyone would like to have.”

“People live by breathing, and I breathe by loving; loving even if there is no reciprocity. As life goes on, I think about new people to be relieved of their pain, even if they won’t take me as one among them…”

“I love you air, I love you…”

In order to find your new self in tranquility

As you transformed, the sanctuary became the enemy

Demolishing your home turned out to be your first duty

Don’t worry, you will be okay

You didn’t belong there anyway

Embrace life, or else you will be cast away

Remember, you have only a single day

You are now like a newborn star in dreams

Behold your beauty and elegant limbs

Feel the air flow by you, flip your wings

Taste the drops of life on the leaves

I wish I were you, just like a baby

My smiles could buy world’s sympathy

And my cries would enslave everybody

Each day, sailing towards a new discovery

But, what is it that you are still searching in pain?

Don’t tell me all this splendor is in vain

You are a blossom in the air, don’t be insane

I cannot reason your ceaseless disdain

Oh butterfly, you have woken me up

Is this face mine or is it makeup

Or, am I you in my dream? Reality is messed up

After a life-long delusion, I need a clean up

I am now seeking a beauty

One that I saw in a dream I don’t remember

From one flower to another, alas I cannot find it.

I am starving, how am I going to survive?

But my yearning for the beauty becomes my food.

A beauty whose absence is so powerful,

I cannot even imagine reunion with it,

A beauty that is with me, but I am far from it.

Seth Mette is a professor of aerospace engineering

What does sustainability mean? According to the definition by the World Commission on Environment and Development, sustainability means meeting the current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same. Sustainability embraces more than just the environmental concerns; it also includes both social and economic factors. Thus it provides a holistic and inclusive foundation from which to operate.

Why care about sustainability anyway? It is because our very own life depends on clean air, drinkable water, arable land, other species and one another to exist. After all, if we are not breathing air, drinking water and eating plants or animals, we are not living. We are all part of a system, whether on a local or global scale. In order to make choices that will help us to improve our quality of life, we must first understand sustainability and the environmental issues present in our daily lives and how our actions are related to those issues. Once we understand our contribution to the problem, we can then begin to make decisions that will help, not harm, our planet, our future generations and ourselves (Worksbook, p.10).

As Pope John Paul II stated “Modern society will find no solution to the ecological problem unless it takes a serious look at its life styles.” If we categorize our life style in a way that helps us analyze the environmental impact of our choices, we might end up having three main categories: Water, Energy, and Waste. This article focuses on the problems related with those categories and the solutions that can be done on a personal level.

Water

“By means of water, we give life to everything.” (Al-Anbiya, 21:30)

Water is very precious, yet it is very scarce. Even though water covers two thirds of the surface of our planet, the freshwater in rivers, lakes, and streams represent only 0.02% of the earth’s total water (United States Geological Survey). According to an estimate from the United Nations, by the year 2025, around 2 million people will be living in regions with absolute water scarcity, and two out of three people on earth could be living under conditions of water stress if nothing is done. So, what can you do about it? According to the Sustainability Primer Works Book, the things you can do include finding and fixing the leaks around your home; because leaking faucets and toilets can account for as much as 20 gallons of water lost per person per day (Treehugger team, 2006). You can also install water saving devices, because high efficiency toilets and showerheads can save the average household about 30 gallons of water each day (Walsh, 2009). A low flow high efficiency showerhead uses 2.5 gallons of water or less per minute, whereas traditional showerheads use 5 gallons or more per minute. The top priority is changing your behavior. Simply turning off the water while shaving or brushing teeth could save more than 5 gallons (19 liters) of water per day. Keeping a bucket or large pitcher in the bathroom or kitchen to capture the excess water while you are waiting for the hot water to make it to the faucet can get you enough water, which can be used for your pets, plants, to wash produce etc.

Energy

“To warn of the dangers is not to despair of the solutions.” Al Gore

Much of the world’s current energy production is unsustainable. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil to produce electricity depletes non-renewable resources, and releases pollutants that contribute to smog, acid rain and other types of air pollution. Electricity production is indeed the leading cause for industrial air pollution. Replacing your incandescent bulbs with more energy efficient Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs) or Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) can be a good start to go green for energy around your house. Lighting accounts for up to 25% of home electricity use (California Energy Commission). CFLs use one-fourth the energy of standard incandescent bulbs to give out the same amount of light, and they last ten times longer. LEDs may even last 50 to100 times longer than the standard light bulbs. According to the US department of Energy: “If every home in America replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified CFL, it would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 800,000 cars annually.”

You can also pay attention to heating and cooling in your home.

Basic things like changing the filter, putting on a sweater instead of turning on the heater, and setting the thermostat appropriately might save up to 10% off your electricity bill. Think about buying energy saving appliances when you need to buy new ones, simply look for the signs like ENERGY STAR. Also, shut off appliances whenever possible. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends using “standby-mode” when our computers will be idle for more than 20 minutes. It also points out that 75% of electricity used to power home electronics is consumed when these appliances are “turned off.” You can use a power strip to turn everything completely off when finished for the day.

Waste

“Waste not want not!” Benjamin Franklin

World economies operate on a take, make, waste model, which is a one-way linear production system in a finite world. The problem with this system is that it operates as though everything were in infinite supply. But this is not the case for our limited resources. Our current practices for waste generation create significant environmental, economic, and public health problems. Generally, the public is unaware where our trash ends-up, and what it causes there. Landfill, also known as a dump, is a site for disposal of the wastes by burial. A large number of adverse impacts may occur from landfill operations. One is serious pollution of the local environment such as contamination of groundwater and/or aquifers by leakage and residual soil contamination during landfill usage. Another is after landfill closure; the generation of methane by organic waste decay (methane is a greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide, and can itself be a danger to inhabitants of an area.) Then there are simple nuisance problems such as dust, odor, vermin, and noise pollution.

The problem is not only what we do with waste but also what we waste. According to United States Department of Agriculture, over a quarter of the country’s food that is approximately 25.9 million tons, gets thrown away every year. On the other hand, the number of cell phones Americans tossed out in 2008 is 130 million (Larry Greenemeler, 2009). Recycling them would have saved enough energy to power 194,000 homes for a year. The current U.S. recycling average for the so-called e-waste, including unwanted cell phones, televisions, PCs, computer peripherals, computer mouses, keyboards and many others, is in the order of 10 to 13%. Sustainability Primer points out the things you can do about waste issues. These include but are not limited to reducing how much you consume and to reuse items whenever possible, to bring your own reusable bag, and reuse paper and plastic bags. Reuse paper and envelopes at home or in the office. Recycle office supplies like printer cartridges, toner etc. At home, recycle everything you can or collect for hazardous household waste. You can also give away or donate things that you don’t use. Like the “good old times,” repair instead of discard, purchase well designed quality items that last longer. Try to recreate the old-good habit of borrowing and sharing the resources among neighbors and family. It may take some effort but start composting your food waste. In addition to all above, the best thing you can do is “close the loop” by purchasing products made from recycled materials.

All things considered, does it seem like you need to suffer at all to go green?

If we want to change the way things are going, we should listen to what Gandhi said, “I must be the change I wish to see in the world around me”. Living in balance with nature requires understanding the value of the bounties we take for granted. Because “In the end, we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand and we will understand only what we are taught” Baba Dioum.

References

• Sustainability Primer Works Book, Worksbook, Community Partners/Sustainable works, Los Angeles, 2009-2010 Update, SMVersion 9.0.
• Treehugger Blog, “How to green your water,” December 03, 2006. www.treehugger.com
• Walsh, B. “Getting real about the high price of cheap food,” Time Magazine, Aug 21, 2009.
• California Energy Commision, http://www.energy.ca.gov/efficiency/lighting/
• Division of Information Technology, UW- Madison “Turn off your monitor to save energy? Do it.” December 29, 2005 http://www.doit.wisc.edu/news/story.asp?filename=598
• Greenemeler L. Scientific American blog, comment on Trashed Tech: Where Do Old Cell Phones, TVs and PCs Go to Die?, November 29,2009 http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=trash-tech-pc-tv-waste

We have to breathe in order to live. The oxygen, which is essential for us, is cleansed and its heat and moisture are regulated as it passes turbulently down the narrow channels of the nose. Thus, the air we breathe is made ready for service to the alveolus in the lungs. In this way, approximately fifteen square meters of air, which is inhaled with 23,000 breaths daily, is processed in the nose.

The area behind the nostrils has been equipped with an acclimating system that is astonishingly sensitive and which scientists have difficulty explaining. This system not only regulates the heat and moisture of air, but at the same time, it possesses a mechanism that perceives harmful molecules in the contents of the air and gives an alarm. By stimulating the nose’s mucosa, this alarm mechanism shows activity by evacuating with the speed of a hurricane the air in the lungs via the nose and mouth-this is what we call sneezing. As a result of sneezing, the harmful matter that entered the body with the inhaled air is expelled from the body.

How and why do we sneeze?

It is a Divine blessing that we do not become ill frequently in spite of the millions of microorganisms that enter our body everyday mainly through the air we breathe. The microbes that enter our noses with the air we breathe are caught together with dust by tiny hairs here called cilia. Those that escape here are asked for a password by the anti-bacterial mucus secretion emitted by the epithelium tissues in our noses. In order for smells to be perceived by the nerve cells of molecules, the thickness of mucus must be around .06 mm. If the mucus layer were thicker, our sense of smell would be decreased, and if it were thinner, the defense system would weaken and cilia would be easily harmed. In addition, with its content and density, this secretion is responsible for filtering foreign particles in the air and for moisturizing the air to make it suitable. Because it is dangerous for things to pass this point, the body’s alarm that we call sneezing kicks in and microbes are expelled in this way. Sneezing is one of the most important defense mechanisms of the upper respiratory system. When the thresholds of the special nerve cells in the nose are stimulated, the signals reach the brain and the sneezing reflex kicks in. The mucus tissues are stimulated, mucus is secreted and the capillaries widen. Meanwhile an itching or tingling sensation is felt in the nose. As a result of the warning coming from the brain to the head, neck and stomach muscles, air is closed into the area where the vocal chords are and pressure is greatly increased in the lungs. Later, while the air is suddenly and loudly forced out, the foreign matter in the nose and respiratory path are thrown out. Because the nerves responsible for sneezing are also connected to the eyes, tears are usually secreted during sneezing and at this time the eyes involuntarily close.

In addition to the discomforts of the flu, the common cold, and bronchitis causing sneezing, external factors like nose polyps, flying pollen, dust, perfume, animal hairs and even suddenly looking at the light can also cause it. Because some people are sensitive to certain factors, they can be affected faster and they will sneeze. Some are more amenable to sneezing during certain periods. For example, it has been determined that pregnant women are more inclined to sneeze due to the hormonal change they are experiencing. It has also been established that the members of some families sneeze consecutively in certain numbers (3-5 times); this situation supports the idea that sneezing attacks can be hereditary. It is known that men sneeze more than women and that white people sneeze more than black people. One out of five people sneeze when they look at a bright light while walking in the dark. Due to the sudden reflection of light, the pupil of the eye contracts and the emission of tears increase. This emission reaches the upper division of the nose cavity by means of the tear ducts and, stimulating the mucus tissue in the nose, it triggers sneezing. In illnesses such as the common cold, the mucus in the nose quickly triggers sneezing because it is more sensitive.

Beware of cluster bombs

Sneezing is one of the rare moments when the body desires a situation different from its normal functioning. Sneezing and coughing lead to a movement of air strong enough to break the mucus bond, and as a result, droplets are formed. It has been established that the speed of air and the particles in it while being expelled from the mouth at this time is close to 100 miles per hour. Those who carry the viruses of illnesses like the flu scatter about close to one hundred million microorganisms during sneezing-like a cluster bomb. From 2,500–5,000 droplet seeds can remain in the air for hours in the cloudlet that has been formed. As the diameter of the droplet seeds decreases, their period of staying in the air increases. The diameter of droplet seeds that remain in the air for a long time and cause the spread of illnesses is between one and five microns.

Rather than food and drink, tuberculosis spreads by deep respiratory movements like sneezing and coughing via droplets loaded with bacillus. Dispersing in the air into smaller particles, the droplets are inhaled by healthy people by means of the respiratory path.

If necessary precautions are not taken in regard to a viral infection, it can spread throughout the world in one month, because the droplets carrying the virus can travel forty meters when you sneeze, six meters when you cough, and two meters when you talk. For this reason, illnesses like the flu which spread with droplets are frequently seen during the winter. For one person sneezing several times in places where there are crowds of people means that the virus spreads to hundreds of people within a few minutes.

Is sneezing beneficial?

The movement of cilia in the upper respiratory path is very important in regard to the health of the lungs. They hold the harmful matter coming with the air, trigger the sneezing reflex, and together with mucus, prevent them from entering the lungs, thus performing a very important protective duty. The expulsion from the body of matter that is probably harmful together with the air in the lungs is a blessing that provides a person with a great benefit. Consequently, formerly natural powders like black pepper known as snuff were breathed into the nose in order to sneeze. While sneezing, the brain and cardiovascular veins expand and tear and sinus ducts open; thus, the dead air we normally cannot exhale is forced from our lungs.

When sneezing, a high amount of pressure is generated in the body, especially in the stomach area and brain. Due to this pressure, a lot of blood goes to the cardiovascular veins, and in fact, serious situations like fainting can occur during sneezing attacks. However, sneezing is beneficial to a healthy heart. Fully closing the mouth and holding the breath while sneezing can bring about bursting and tearing in the lungs. The ribs can even break with an intense and unbalanced sneeze. If a person tries to stifle the sneeze after the sneeze reflex has occurred by closing his mouth and nose, he can harm the brain and bring on paralysis or when the pressure increases in the capillaries in the brain, bleeding can occur. In this situation, people, especially those who have undergone an operation, can be seriously harmed. In addition, veins in the eyes can expand and rupture. When sneezing is triggered, a person should relax and not prevent the sneeze.

In addition to providing protection against harmful things that have entered the respiratory system, sneezing is a reflex that is a means for relaxation, relief and invigoration of the body. If this reflex had not been put in the body, it would be difficult to escape many harmful things that would give discomfort. During sneezing, the rest period after diastole of the heart increases. This is probably the reason why we say, “Bless you” when someone sneezes. Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “One of the six rights of a believer over another is to make a prayer when he or she sneezes,” and “One of the times when prayer is accepted is at the moment of sneezing.” It was related that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, “covered his face with his hands or a cloth when he sneezed and he lowered his voice.”

We are being reminded of the value of our health which God bestows upon us anew each time we sneeze. Sneezing is a cloud of mercy not only for us, but also for those who witness this moment with prayer and with whom we share feelings of gratitude.

Adem Arikanli is a freelance writer from Turkey with an interest in health and biology.

Let us imagine the earth as a small sphere before us. If we throw an object from the North Pole toward point A on the equator line, the object follows a curved line towards the right side and reaches point B, not point A. Likewise, an object thrown from the South Pole towards the same point A will follow a similar line curved in the opposite direction. These cases have a common point. An object rolling on a rotating ground moves on a curved line. This curved line, instead of a straight one, is explained with reference to the force of acceleration. This force is named after the French engineer, Coriolis who explained it in 1835. If this force-which is generated by the earth rotating around its own axis-did not exist, then air movements and ocean currents, and consequently the climate conditions of our world, would be different than they are. The objects in our example, thrown from the two poles, go in different directions, because the world rotates counter-clockwise when looked from the North Pole, and clockwise from the South Pole.

The air over the equator receives the sun’s rays at a broad angle. It rises up after gaining heat and is replaced by colder air coming from distant latitudes. Air convection begins in connection with these heat changes. So if the world did not rotate, the air on the Poles would get heavier with cold air and come down. Then, it would be replaced by hot air from lower latitudes. The air at the equator would rise up with gaining heat and would move until reaching the Poles where it would come down after losing heat. Then, it would return to the equator, this time very close to the ground. In this case, the world would probably be an uninhabitable place with cold and fierce winds blowing all around. And of course, the side facing the sun would be very hot and the other side would be very cold.

Instead, the Coriolis effect makes these great atmospheric air masses move over our rotating earth. The hot air rising up from the equator moves towards the poles with a curved course thanks to the Coriolis effect (Figure 4). As this air current approaches the latitudes around 30 degrees, it loses heat and descends. A part of the descending air begins to move back toward the equator, but it follows a curved line again owing to the Coriolis effect. So this last curving forms the “trade winds.” In the past, sailing ships traveled from Europe to America for the purpose of trade; thus, these winds were named as trade winds. This air circulation between the equator and the 30-degree meridians is known as Hadley circulation. These air currents cause heavy rainfall in the equatorial region and the consequent formation of rain forests, which are considered as the lungs of our planet, and also they cause the formation of deserts around the region where the dry and hot weather are pure blessings for us. They are a blessing because the airborne dust rising from the desert fertilizes the rainclouds and plays a critical role for rainfall.

The air over the poles becomes cold, and it causes another air current as it becomes heavier and starts to descend. As the lowered air moves toward the equator, it changes course with the Coriolis effect. At the same time it begins to gain heat and ascend. At the latitudes where water ascends by gaining heat, a rain climate prevails. This polar air cycle is seen between latitudes of 60-90 degrees.

Some part of the air current, which descends down around 30 degrees of latitude, moves toward the poles at a low level. Also, some part of the air which comes from the poles and ascends begins to move towards the equator. So a third air cycling begins between the altitudes between 30-60 degrees. The “western winds” are brought forth from this third cycle. During the time of sailing ships, these winds were used to traveling from America to Europe (Figure 4).

In order for these air cycles to happen, the earth’s rotation around its own axis is not sufficient; its speed and atmospheric mass also play an important role. If the earth rotated slower, the Coriolis Effect would be too weak to give way to a triple air cycle. For example, since Venus rotates too slowly, there is only a single air cycle in its atmosphere. Another factor, as we mentioned, is the mass of the atmosphere. Since the atmosphere of Mars is thin and its mass is relatively less, the Coriolis Effect is too weak and there is only a single air cycle.

Coriolis Effect prevents the air current from following a straight course and the isobars form twisters as they proceed. Therefore, hurricanes in the Northern hemisphere move counter-clockwise, and those in the south move clockwise (Figure 5). Naturally, these main atmospheric movements are not the only ones. A region’s climate is dependent on several factors such as landscape, night-day heat differences, and the like. Therefore, the climatic conditions on the earth have a very complex structure. Even when we consider just these few factors discussed here, it is evident that there are countless parameters that make human life possible in our planet, and each one is finely adjusted. Even slight changes in rotation and the mass of the atmosphere would result in a dramatically different planet Earth.

The ocean currents

Movement of air masses affects the water on the ocean surface as well. Thus, wind-generated surface currents are born. These currents are parallel with the relevant winds. It is a well-known fact that these huge bodies of water change the climate of the regions they pass. Therefore, two places at 54 degrees of latitude show a surprising difference: there can be a polar bears’ park in Ontario, whereas palm trees and tropical fruits can grow in Belfast thanks to the Gulf Stream. There are other warm ocean currents that pass from Brazil, and the north and south of the equator. Some of major cold surface currents pass from Labrador, Canada, the Falkland Islands, and Peru. Warm currents soften the climate of the regions they pass, while cold currents provide sea creatures with rich food, and they are important areas of fishing.

The impact of the wind on ocean water normally reaches as deep as 100-200 meters, and even 1,000 meters in some cases. The Coriolis effect has a determining role on the direction of the currents. These currents on the move make a turn when their way is blocked by land. Thus, the succession of ocean currents becomes a cycle, and they form the great current cycles named as “gyre.” They turn clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the south.

There are five main ocean circulations on earth and each of them consists of four streams. These currents are at the north and south of the Atlantic Ocean, the north and south of the Pacific Ocean, and one in the Indian Ocean. The North Atlantic circulation is made up of the Northern Equator Current, the Gulf Stream, North Atlantic Current, and the Canary Current.

With the Coriolis effect, a blessing of wondrous scale, food chains are brought to life in the ocean and around coastal regions. The ocean waters are set in motion by the winds generated by the Coriolis effect, but they do not strictly follow the winds that activated them. With a deflection of nearly 45 degrees they move right in the Northern Hemisphere and to left in the Southern Hemisphere.

The effect of the winds weakens in the deeper ocean waters, and then the Coriolis effect becomes dominant. Thus the direction of ocean water carried in the Northern Hemisphere is vertical to the wind direction and towards the right. This condition causes ocean waters to be pushed towards the circulatory center, and the water level there rises about 2 meters.

As rising waters move down with the effect of gravity, the Coriolis effect comes to the stage again to give way to another current in the same direction within that current. The waters that were rising toward the center begin to sink, and they form a new vertical current. For the same reason, the separation of the water current to the right and left directions around the equatorial regions gives way to the waters at the bottom which then come to the surface. At these places, the water level decreases a little. This “upwelling” phenomenon has very important results. Dead organisms sinking down are broken down by bacteria in the deep waters. When this nutrient-rich water returns to the surface, it is a great blessing for so many sea creatures. It is a striking fact that the rotating of the earth is a means for providing many living beings with sustenance. All of these finely adjusted balances on our planet, which we mostly take for granted, provide reflecting minds with food for thought.

Not long after, I saw a minuscule thing coming to me from that direction; I thought it was a bird of some kind. Strange enough, the bird came to me so abruptly that I heard its sound only after it passed me… Guess what? It was not a bird; it was a fighter jet. This time, I knew where to look, and I followed it for the short while it played pick-a-boo with me.

The following day, mom took me to the celebration arena for a national day. I couldn’t believe my eyes, everywhere was full of fighter jets; but my eyes looked for the one that mesmerized me the day before. And, it was standing right there, waiting for me to come. I approached it with respectful steps, and carefully touched it. It was so cold and tough, yet so beautiful. That day, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. The smell of the jet fuel coming from the engines was so powerful that even I could fly with that kind of a drink.

“Hey; come here” I heard someone calling me. There was really nobody around. “Follow the sharp smell, come on here,” insisted the voice. Was I daydreaming, or had I been poisoned by the jet fuel and lost my conscience? Yeah, yeah, the voice was coming from the rear-end of the engine. It was the nozzle that was talking to me.

The moment I realized who was talking to me, I found myself in the circular, hollow structure of the nozzle. I was too nervous and surprised at first, but after a moment of looking around admiringly, I spoke with the words: “I know the inferno fire that you are exhausting. Isn’t it beautiful? You are so powerful. You are the one that is powering this beauty in the sky.”

The nozzle was not happy to hear my words of flattery. “Hey little boy, you know something, but you don’t know everything. Yes, it is true that I am exhausting that violent river of gas. You are right that this stormy exhaust is in the heart of this beauty in the sky. But you have got to learn more. I am only a solid duct that is accelerating what comes into me. I have no power to compress that humongous amount of air into a volume as small as a bird’s nest. I am completely unable to heat up the air to inferno level. And, the beauty in the sky is not taken up there by me either.”

I was totally disappointed and frustrated by the nozzle. I had thought for an instant that it was my hero; but now, my dreams were destroyed. I felt all alone in a desert. The nozzle must have realized my situation, so it picked up again: “Come on. I am going to introduce you to the unseen heroes behind our mysterious beauty. I am going to show you the inside.”

I was truly perplexed. What else could be more mysterious than a speaking nozzle? The voice of the nozzle slowly diffused into the deep and dark hallway into the engine, and I followed it. Soon, I came by long towers that had a nicely curved shape. As soon as I stepped near them, the floor that the towers were built on started moving. In the midst of this earthquake and a blinding darkness, I could faintly see another row of towers that were stagnant. I threw myself towards them. As I was dealing with my horrified and troubled soul, I heard a thunderous voice that reverberated everywhere:

“How nice to see you here, Adam!” I was doubly shocked. Not only was this unseen thing talking to me, but it also knew my name. “Do you know me?” I replied. “How could I miss your glittering eyes fixed at us whenever we pass over you? I am the turbine, one of the unseen heroes. I am the one that powers the compressors that squeeze the air. I am the one that faces the hot air before it goes into the nozzle.”

Wow, this was the man; this was the legendary hero behind the beauty in the sky. I looked at its towers that displayed nobility and their curved surfaces that embodied beauty. As I was losing myself in admiration, I heard the voice again:

“These are the eyes that I have been seeing every time we passed over you. But I have to tell you something. What you are looking for is not me either, because I cannot create the hot air that energizes everything, including me. Despite the beauties and power embodied in me, I am not the essence that bears the real beauty you are looking for.”

What was that supposed to mean? First the nozzle, now the turbine; every time, I am being attracted, and then I am left alone with a sense of deception. Are these heroes making fun of my admiration of their beauty? If so, they don’t deserve my admiration anymore; if not, then why am I having this feeling of deception? Is it wrong to attribute hero status to something?

Lost in feelings and thoughts like these, I left the turbine, and proceeded further into the darkness. Not only didn’t I know where I was, but also I had no means to determine my whereabouts. In total silence and darkness, I sat at a place that felt like a smooth and large room. Suddenly, a wind started blowing with growing speed, and a constant noise occupied everywhere. I was alarmed and sought somewhere to cling to. With the help of lightning that seemed to come out of nowhere, I saw a cavity that looked safe. After a challenging crawl, I was there. Then, a second lightning came and everywhere burst into fires. As if winds from the hell were gushing out. My jaw dropped down, I stared at this miraculous display of fire.

“Welcome, finally you are here,” told a voice that was distinctly heard despite the violent storm. I felt like I am being driven through a scenario so that where ever I enter, I experience things that I was meant to. “Am I the hero of this scenario?”, I asked myself inside, and laughed at the idea. Upon seeing so many extraordinary things, my awe of the strange things was veiled with habituation. So, I couldn’t pay the respect that was due the voice I heard. Maybe because of this, I received a kick from behind, and I had to struggle against the winds of fire to get back to my seat where I was safe and comfortable.

“Hello, are you still there?” I asked. “Can you tell me where I am?” That distinct voice appeared again in my ears: “Indeed, I am here, but you weren’t!” I bowed my head with shame. Having hurt the only one that could help me in this situation was as foolish as it could be. “And I was with you all along from the start.” What was this? I didn’t know whether to feel ashamed because of my selfish and pragmatic sense of respect, or to burst into a thousand pieces for not having recognized the one who has been with me all along?

“This is as far as you can go in this story. You are in the place where the energy that empowers everything is revealed. It is the heart of the beauty that you have been admiring.” After a second of silence, “Did you find what you were looking for?” asked the voice. I had seen strange things, but none of them had satisfied my heart nor quenched my curiosity. A sad face was my response to the question, but I didn’t know if the voice could see my face. Apparently it did, so that it directed me to another place. “You see this violent fire going on, would you like to fly away with it?” Was this guy crazy? How in the world could I survive in fire? “Well then, there are two ways to get out of here. Either you go along the fire back to where you came from. Or, if you are not able to do so, you go forward.”

With that directive, I started crawling towards the front, into the strong wind. I came across a thing similar to the turbine, and then another hallway similar to the nozzle. At first I was puzzled, because I had seen the same things that I had seen on my way previously. Had I made a mistake and proceeded backwards? That mustn’t be the case, since I had moved away from the fire.

After this stupefying similarity, I was at the mouth of the cave where everything starts. I was able to see the wings too. But now, the aircraft was moving. All of the storm that was going on inside was for accelerating. The force of the acceleration was so strong that I slipped from where I was clinging, and found myself stuck at the beautiful front curve of the wing. Strange enough, the same voice welcomed me again: “Finally you are here.” I didn’t know whether to reply to it or to lose myself while watching the beauty of the aircraft as it soared into the air with an ever increasing speed. It definitely felt like the divers who hear that beautiful voice when they go deeper than they should. I could not resist melting my body in the excitement of the maneuvers. After a while, we were hundreds of meters above where we had started. Now, the aircraft was cruising, and despite the rareness of the experience, it felt like sitting in the living room. With the steadiness of my state, I found myself emerging from the depths of excitement.

“Have you found the beauty you are looking for?” asked the voice again, to which I said yes. “Where do you think that beauty is coming from? From the engines or from the wings?” That question was most unexpected. The engine itself was not able to fly, it was only able to create a strong push. The wings were only beautiful. They did not actively do anything. They only stood there in the wind, and then, lift was there. Without the air, the wings would not create anything. As for the air, we are completely sunken in it, let alone flying. “I don’t know where the beauty is coming from. There seems to be something missing in the ingredients that created the beauty of flight. None of the ingredients seems to originate it. It looks like you put the engine, the wings and the air in the pot, and suddenly something that you did not put comes into being.”

“But you did not realize this point until you made this journey, despite that you have been witnessing the same beauty all along. “

Why was that the case? Why did I have to make this incredible journey in order to become aware of this uncertainty in the source of beauty?

“When you are not actually in a journey like this, you take all the mysteries for granted, because you consider them natural, ordinary. But once you are in the journey, you realize something different that exists neither in you nor in the things you come across. It is as if somebody is tracking what is going on, and whenever the necessary ingredients are there, he secretly adds the missing spice into it at the right amount. And, then? Behold the beauty!”