Hey there! I’m Henry Reich, and I create stick figure videos about physics. Today, I’m here to talk about my complicated relationship with Curiosity. No, not the Mars rover, but the concept of Curiosity itself—the one that constantly occupies my thoughts.
Curiosity has been a great companion. It taught me language, shared my excitement about gravitational waves, and encouraged me to build tall towers and experiment with paper airplanes. It took me to watch meteor showers, helped me through school, taught me calculus, and even showed me how to fix things around the house. Curiosity has been there for all my adventures and learning experiences.
But Curiosity isn’t perfect. It’s not loyal—many of you probably have a relationship with it too. It constantly interrupts my thoughts, making me question everything. Curiosity made me read all of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” in one go and tells me things I don’t always want to hear, like the fact that I won’t live forever or that toddlers are better at learning languages than I am.
Curiosity also reveals uncomfortable truths, like the impact of flying on our planet’s environment or my biases against ideas that challenge my worldview. Most concerning, Curiosity lacks a moral compass. It has taught us both beneficial and harmful things, from starting fires for warmth to creating weapons, from harnessing fossil fuels to splitting atoms for energy and destruction.
Despite its flaws, I can’t seem to break up with Curiosity. Did you know that if you lift a clock by just one meter, Earth’s gravity causes it to run faster by a few nanoseconds each year? That’s the kind of fascinating tidbit Curiosity brings into my life. I bet you find it hard to resist Curiosity too.
If there’s one thing Curiosity has taught me, it’s that humans are deeply drawn to it. We are in a complex relationship with Curiosity, and we need to learn how to live with it. The most important lesson I’ve learned is that Curiosity opens countless doors to life-changing and world-changing possibilities, both good and bad. It helps us gather all the facts about what the future might hold. But ultimately, it’s up to us to decide which doors we choose to walk through.
Start a curiosity journal where you document questions that pop into your mind throughout the week. At the end of the week, pick one question to research and present your findings to the class. This will help you explore the positive side of curiosity and how it can lead to new knowledge.
Participate in a class debate on whether curiosity inherently lacks a moral compass. Prepare arguments for both sides, considering how curiosity has led to both beneficial and harmful discoveries. This activity will help you critically analyze the challenges associated with curiosity.
Conduct a simple physics experiment, such as building a paper airplane or a small tower, and observe the outcomes. Document how curiosity drives your experimentation process and what you learn from it. This hands-on activity will reinforce the role of curiosity in scientific exploration.
Engage in a group discussion about the ethical implications of curiosity-driven discoveries, such as nuclear energy or fossil fuels. Reflect on how curiosity can lead to both progress and ethical dilemmas. This discussion will help you understand the complex influence of curiosity on society.
Read a short story or a chapter from a book where curiosity plays a central role, such as “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” Analyze how curiosity affects the characters and plot. Share your insights with the class to explore how curiosity is portrayed in literature.
Curiosity – A strong desire to learn or know something, often driving scientific inquiry and philosophical exploration. – Curiosity about the fundamental forces of nature led many physicists to explore the mysteries of the universe.
Physics – The branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy, encompassing concepts such as force, motion, and the structure of atoms. – In physics class, we learned how Newton’s laws of motion apply to everyday phenomena.
Gravity – A natural force of attraction exerted by a celestial body, such as Earth, on objects at or near its surface, drawing them toward its center. – The concept of gravity is crucial in understanding how planets orbit the sun.
Waves – Disturbances that transfer energy through space and matter, often studied in physics to understand phenomena like sound and light. – The physics teacher demonstrated how waves can interfere with each other, creating patterns of constructive and destructive interference.
Calculus – A branch of mathematics that deals with the study of change and motion, using derivatives and integrals to analyze dynamic systems. – Calculus is essential for solving complex problems in physics, such as calculating the trajectory of a projectile.
Environment – The surrounding conditions or influences affecting the development and behavior of systems, often considered in both physics and philosophy. – Understanding the environment in which a particle exists is crucial for predicting its behavior in quantum physics.
Learning – The process of acquiring knowledge or skills through study, experience, or teaching, fundamental to both scientific and philosophical advancement. – Learning about the principles of thermodynamics helped the students appreciate the laws governing energy transfer.
Relationships – The connections or associations between entities, often explored in physics to understand interactions and in philosophy to examine human connections. – The relationships between different forces can be described using mathematical equations in physics.
Truths – Statements or principles that are considered to be universally valid or accepted, often debated in philosophy and tested in scientific inquiry. – In physics, truths are established through rigorous experimentation and peer review.
Possibilities – The potential for something to occur or be achieved, often explored in scientific theories and philosophical discussions. – Quantum mechanics opens up a world of possibilities, challenging our classical understanding of reality.
