What is science?
Science is a body of knowledge obtained through observation and reasoning, systematically
structured and from which principles and general laws with predictive capability are deduced
and experimentally verifiable.
Both science and technology justify their existence in the human need for the pursuit and
development of products, services, tools, and other entities, such as well-being and health.
Therefore, the evolution of science and discoveries has been a constant since its inception.
For example:
- 120,000 years ago, the control of fire.
- 50,000 years ago, stone tool making.
- The invention of the wheel in 3500 BC.
- The emergence of writing in 3100 BC.
- The invention of gunpowder in 800 AD.
- The invention of the printing press by Gutenberg in 1440.
- The invention of the steam engine by James Watt in 1765.
- The invention of the electric light by Thomas Edison in 1879.
- The discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928.
These inventions and discoveries marked a before and after in human life.
Another challenge humans have faced is trying to understand the complexity of the universe,
something impossible to know in its entirety. However, we can establish that countless
phenomena respond to certain conditions, and their behavior is predictable or determinable.
Furthermore, we can affirm that there are universal and invariable properties and laws, and
for all these things, there is an equation that explains them.
In the artwork, there is a scroll on which some of these equations that changed history are
written.
Specifically, there are seven of them:
7. Pythagorean Theorem
a2 + b2 = c2
The Pythagorean formula or equation is essential in Euclidean geometry, referring to the
relationship between the sides of a triangle in a plane. Thus, the sum of the squares of the legs
of a triangle ( a^2 + b^2 ) equals the square of the hypotenuse (c^2).
6. Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation
F = G [(m1 x m2)/ r2]
This formula was fundamental in understanding how gravity acts between two objects. This
force (F) depends on a universal constant (G) and the respective masses of the two objects. It
should be noted that this equation was sufficient to describe the behavior of planets and other
bodies in the universe until Einstein enunciated the theory of general relativity more than two
centuries after Newton.
5. Euler’s Formula for Polyhedra
V+C-A=2
This simple equation is one of the first topological variants, meaning it is a spatial property
common to different spaces with the same characteristics. It establishes that, for any
polyhedron, if you add its vertices and faces and subtract the number of edges, the result will
always be 2. For example, a cube has 8 vertices, 6 faces, and 12 edges; therefore: ( 8 + 6 – 12 =
2 ). This holds true for any regular or irregular polyhedron.
4. Wave Equation
∂²u/ ∂t²=c²(∂²u/∂x²)
The wave equation, formulated by d’Alembert in 1746, is a differential equation that allows
us to understand the movement of different waves, something crucial for studying
electromagnetism, sound properties, and more.
3. Second Law of Thermodynamics
dS≥0
The equation of the second law of thermodynamics succinctly states that in a system, heat
always transfers from a hot body to a colder one until thermal equilibrium is achieved, in a
unidirectional and irreversible manner. This is because the equation includes a variable called
entropy, which measures the disorder of the system and its irreversibility. Thus, the change in
entropy in an isolated system must be greater than or equal to 0.
2. Schrödinger’s Equation
iħ (∂/∂t).ψ=Hψ
Schrödinger’s equation explains one of the basic notions of quantum mechanics and the
behavior of atomic particles. It is also associated with the famous Schrödinger’s cat thought
experiment.
1. Theory of Relativity
E=mc²
No one can deny that this is the most famous equation in history, positing that matter and
energy are equivalent. Albert Einstein’s equation is of superlative importance for
understanding the universe.
The main theme of the artwork is based on a reproach from an early hominid toward the
destructive use of its intellect.
It contrasts the origin of humanity with the possible end due to the influence of science.
Is the contribution of science and its advancement for society good or bad?
Is science perhaps a necessary evil for evolution until destruction?
In other words, is intelligence and scientific progress the reason we will end up selfannihilating?
I believe so!
And it’s quite evident, especially if we observe what has been humanity’s greatest motivation
in achieving progress and discovering new technologies.
Human motivation is war, to dominate the opponent in their quest to achieve immediate
interests (see the text of the work on war).
Many inventions that we have adapted into our society and that make life easier were
originally weapons of war.
For example, gunpowder was initially an attempt by the Chinese to seek immortality in their
medicines, later used in fireworks and spectacles, and eventually in propelling projectiles in
what we now know as firearms.
Another example is not of an invention but of an inventor of war machines: Leonardo da Vinci,
who happens to be my favorite historical figure.
“I have plans for very light and strong bridges that can be easily transported… When a place is
under siege, I know how to cut off the water supply from the trenches and how to construct an
infinite number of ladders and other instruments… (…) And if any of the aforementioned things
seem impossible or impractical to anyone, I offer to demonstrate them in their park or
wherever your Excellency pleases, and I humbly recommend myself to you.”
These are just a few of the skills Leonardo da Vinci enumerated in the letter he sent to
Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, hoping to secure employment in his service (which he did). In
this missive, the artistic genius presented himself in a facet that fascinated him as much, if not
more, throughout his life: that of an inventor.
From a young age, Leonardo showed great interest in understanding the laws of nature and
using them in the creation of his inventions. He designed or improved a wide variety of
devices, from war machines to everyday objects, including devices that seemed like science
fiction at the time, such as flying machines, automobiles, or diving suits. The most complete
collection of his inventions is the Codex Atlanticus, whose original edition is preserved in the
Ambrosiana Library in Milan and consists of 1,751 drawings.
Many of Leonardo’s inventions were for military use. In Renaissance Italy, wars were constant,
and the machines he proposed could provide a significant advantage. Of the twelve points
mentioned in his letter to Ludovico Sforza, nine refer to war, and he even offered to
demonstrate them to convince him.
Leonardo was a pacifist, but he had to earn a living. In fact, his drawings often include
calculations of food expenses, a detail that evidences his lack of financial solvency.
He was not very lucky with his patrons. One of his most ambitious projects was to create a
huge bronze horse. After much effort to obtain the material for his horse, war broke out, and
his bronze was melted down to make cannons.
Another curious genius of Leonardo was the invention of an autonomous underwater
breathing apparatus.
When the Turkish fleet besieged the city of Venice, Leonardo presented himself to the
Venetian authorities, assuring them that he had a solution to sink all the Turkish ships without
shedding a drop of blood.
The strategy involved sending men equipped with his breathing apparatus to drill holes in the
hulls of Turkish ships, sinking them. Unfortunately, they didn’t believe him and ignored him.
Despite some problems with his invention, he was ahead of his time in this field, as the issue
was not revisited until almost 500 years later by Captain Jacques Cousteau, who succeeded in
breathing with autonomous equipment.
Indeed, his studies in medicine were also noteworthy, studies that could be considered as
positively supporting human advancement.
At that time, dissections of corpses for study were forbidden, as they were considered
desecrations.
But Leonardo obtained permission from the Pope, allowing him to draw and investigate the
behavior of the human body and discover cardiovascular diseases, arteriosclerosis, liver
cirrhosis, among others.
Eventually, he was prohibited from performing further dissections.
His studies were confiscated and hidden, and unfortunately, these writings were not found
until the mid-20th century in a Parisian attic. It is said that if his studies had been published in
his time, medicine would be hundreds of years more advanced than it is today.
Continuing with inventions, another that was quickly exploited by human warfare interests
was dynamite.
Born into a family of engineers, Nobel worked with his father in the manufacture of explosives.
But in 1864, he experienced a tragic event that marked his life when his younger brother and
four others died in a nitroglycerin explosion.
Two years later, in 1866,Alfred Nobel developed a method to safely handle the unstable liquid
explosive. To reduce its volatility, he mixed nitroglycerin with an absorbent porous material,
creating dynamite.
This invention brought immense fame and wealth to its inventor, and it ushered in a new era
of construction… but also destruction, as it didn’t take long for it to be used for military
purposes.
But without a doubt, and advancing to more recent times, one of the technological advances
with the most disastrous consequences would be the invention of the atomic bomb.
No scientist was more closely linked to the creation and use of atomic bombs during World
War II than Robert Oppenheimer.
The American theoretical physicist was the director of the Manhattan Project, which
successfully developed the first atomic bomb in history.
This bomb was detonated in the New Mexico desert—an operation called “Trinity”—on July
16, 1945, less than a month before the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in
Japan, where an estimated 150,000 to 250,000 people died.
Oppenheimer, a complex and charismatic figure, had dedicated himself to studying the energy
processes of subatomic particles, including electrons, positrons, and cosmic rays.
But the global conflict of those years led his professional life in another direction.
One of the triggers was that the well-known scientist Albert Einstein sent a letter to thenPresident of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt, warning him of the danger that threatened
all humanity if the Nazis became the first to build an atomic bomb. Thus, the idea of creating a
nuclear weapon became a governmental priority in the United States.
And it was Oppenheimer who led this project.
He quickly began to search for a process to separate uranium-235 from natural uranium and to
determine the critical mass needed to build the bomb.
Another example of the misapplication of science would be the so-called “Vietnam Agent
Orange,” an herbicide used to deforest the refuges of the Vietnamese, which affected humans
with cancer, fetal deformities, etc.
I mention this example primarily because of the later statements of the scientist who invented
it.
Plant biologist Arthur Galston said: “I used to think that one could avoid becoming involved in
the antisocial consequences of science simply by not working on any project that could have
malign or destructive purposes. I have learned that things are not that simple and that almost
any scientific finding can be perverted or distorted under social pressures.”
Other examples include the aviation industry, aerospace, radar, satellites, GPS, mobile phones,
and even our beloved internet.
One of the most important, along with the internet, is the development of space technology,
which played a significant role in the Cold War as a way to demonstrate the technological
superiority of the USSR or the USA, but ultimately won by the latter with the moon landing.
Although this was a scientific experiment and a demonstration of who was the greatest power,
it also later served to provide satellites that helped transmit signals and further massify
communications. We cannot overlook radio in the 20th century and the subsequent reign of
television, but what ultimately changed humanity forever was the internet.
With the destructive intention of a nuclear attack, the goal was for computers to control
missiles to respond to aggressions, which is why they were connected through a network that
allowed them to stay connected at all times.
It emerged in 1969 under the name ARPANET, connecting universities in the USA to achieve
the necessary interconnection for the military needs of the time. Over time, this proved
insufficient, and in 1983, it was changed to MILNET.
A different vision from the military was needed to bring it to civilian life. This began to develop
from 1990, and its changes have been constant. But I insist it is important to remember that its
origin was military and that the need to interconnect computers, which already existed before
World War II, was one of the reasons Alan Turing designed a logical program for computers.
The evidence is clear: practically all scientific advancements have been produced by military
research or swallowed by the arms industry.
This is undoubtedly not the right direction, and we should be very concerned that scientific
motivation is the pursuit of power and its evil consequences.
We should be concerned to the point that this path will be our end!
There is a curious paradox that confirms this statement, the Fermi Paradox (named after the
Italian scientist who worked on the Manhattan Project, whose goal, let’s remember, was the
development of the American atomic bomb).
To summarize, it is the contradiction between estimates that there is a high probability of
intelligent civilizations existing in the observable universe and the lack of evidence of such
civilizations.
The Fermi Paradox describes the apparent inconsistency between the fact that we have not
yet found evidence of extraterrestrial life despite the estimates that we should have already
discovered it due to the high probability of intelligent civilizations in our observable universe.
These estimates, to give an idea of the number of civilizations in our galaxy capable of having
detectable radio emissions, were conceived in 1961 by radio astronomer Frank Drake.
It is an equation that identifies specific factors believed to play an important role in the
development of civilizations.
In many of these planets with life, conditions and characteristics of stability would allow the
development of intelligent life.
Some of these civilizations would have survived over time and advanced technologically
enough to undertake space travel.
Although they may not move at or above the speed of light, they have had enough time to
reach Earth.
Consider that our Sun is just a solitary star in the abundance of 7×10^22 stars in the
observable universe.
The Milky Way is just one of 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe.
It is estimated that there could be 300 million planets with Earth-like characteristics in our
galaxy alone, and we can affirm, as Carl Sagan said, that there are more stars in the Universe
than grains of sand on all the beaches of the world.
After such a staggering number of probabilities that some of these stars have planets that can
support life, and that any civilization with a modest amount of rocket technology could rapidly
colonize the entire galaxy, Earth should have already been visited by extraterrestrials.
If all these points are correct, we should have unequivocal evidence of extraterrestrial visits by
now. Why isn’t that the case?
There are quite a few hypotheses for this answer, but the most probable, unfortunately for us,
is the existence of the so-called “Great Filter.”
The Great Filter theory suggests that there is an extremely unlikely step or event in the
development of life that most civilizations cannot overcome.
In other words, the theory postulates that ancient alien civilizations may have self-eliminated,
or “filtered” themselves, before they had any chance of establishing contact with humanity.
Therefore, if this is true, our future, due to science and our technological advancements, is
doomed.
Another aspect to consider, which substantially alters the normal development of a species,
and in the case of humans is being constantly altered, is the evolution of science in the field of
medicine.
Maintaining an entirely biological perspective, medical advances have broken the natural
balance in containing the number of individuals in a species and the quality of the specimens
that survive and consequently reproduce. This makes us weaker against environmental
pathogens, less adaptable, and more dependent on these advancements to maintain our
hegemony on the planet. In the event of a drastic change in the technological or biosanitary
conditions of the environment, we would be severely affected.
For all these reasons, the artwork is a paradoxical reflection on the negative influences of our
advancements as a species.
Homo sapiens (the most intellectually developed hominid) ends up being taught a lesson by
Homo neanderthalensis (the hominid with the lowest intellectual capacity).
This is why the angry, shouting primate appears on the left side of the artwork, asking:
“What have we done with the opportunity we were given on this planet? How could we have
managed to self-annihilate?”
The figure in the lower center represents that cruel, ambitious, selfish human who puts his
interests above those of the group, and whose actions ultimately backfire on him; that is why
he is choking while devouring himself.
An example of all the aforementioned is the figure in the lower right, a hyperboloid of
revolution surrounded by an atom—a curious figure obtained through a mathematical
equation that constructs a curved volume using straight lines.
Its appearance is curved, but it is formed with straight lines, meaning it is not what it seems.
Just like the cooling towers, which are hyperboloids of revolution but are not what they seem.
These towers are used in nuclear power plants, which operate on the same principle that was
developed in the Manhattan Project to create the atomic bomb.
Interestingly, the scientist who directed the experiment where the world’s first controlled and
self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was achieved was the Nobel Prize-winning scientist
Enrico Fermi, in the football stadium at the University of Chicago on December 2, 1942. It is
worth remembering that this scientist, seeing the landscape, later postulated his paradox of
self-annihilation (i.e., with knowledge of the cause).
Let us also remember that one of the precursors of these investigations was Albert Einstein,
with his famous formula E=MC², warning President Roosevelt of the possibility that the enemy
might be researching a possible bomb based on chain reactions.
Unfortunately, the origin of nuclear science had a tragic application that marked its birth
forever and has overshadowed the multiple benefits it brings in all areas.
Technological advancement has allowed different applications of nuclear science to develop,
not only in electricity generation but also in the health, environmental, agricultural, industrial,
and archaeological sectors.
Whatever the beginning, the initial objective or purpose clearly triggered an apocalypse, which
is why the cooling tower is the one that sets fire to the scroll representing science, knowledge,
and human wisdom.
On the scroll, returning to Leonardo, we see his face, specifically highlighting the inscription AIIA on his forehead, representing the cryptic way he wrote, he wrote from right to left with the
letters reversed, a script that could only be read through a mirror.
The letters AI stand for Artificial Intelligence in English, and IA (Inteligencia Artificial) in
Spanish.
They coincide precisely with Leonardo’s writing system and its mirror reading.
Leonardo was one of the precursors of automatons, which have now evolved into what we call
Artificial Intelligence. We may not be aware that AI is a way of placing our decision-making
ability in the hands of intelligences that do not operate with the values, interests, or principles
of humans.
AI is one of the most recent and revolutionary achievements, of which we still do not have the
information on how it will affect our lives, but for me, it is one more step that consolidates the
sad and inevitable death sentence of humanity.
All these bleak examples are being observed by our society, which is timidly beginning to
become aware, and that awareness is symbolized in the artwork by the kneeling eye
witnessing the consequences of its actions, but it does not speak or react; it merely suffers,
perhaps because it is already too late to stop the wheel of what might be mistakenly called
progress.
As an anecdote, on the burning scroll, among the seven equations and some of Leonardo’s
inventions like his Ornithopter for flight, you can also observe one of my own inventions,
designed to achieve weightlessness and, consequently, the sensation of flying. This invention
involves the cancellation of forces through two concentric spheres rotating in opposite
directions, thus achieving zero gravity.
After seriously developing the thesis (or at least it seemed serious to me), when I shared it
with professionals in physical engineering, all I encountered were problems, so I finally
concluded that “Science destroys all those ideas that cannot be realized,” meaning many ideas
do not materialize due to the lack of empirical evidence demonstrated through the scientific
method (for now).
Finally, to avoid ending with this bitter feeling of not being as powerful and invulnerable as we
believed, I would like to focus on the beauty of nature and its sustainable, mathematical, and
balanced power.
Throughout the artwork, there are a series of lines radiating from a central point, marking the
true path to the salvation of the species.
In the center of the artwork appears a sort of shell that shows us the perfection of nature, the
balance, and the mathematics through the golden ratio.
The golden ratio, or the golden section, is the perfect proportion of things and occurs in all
actions in the universe.
And most importantly, it is independent of human thought, so it should be our example to
follow.
The natural beauty of the planet and the laws that govern it should be a source of inspiration.
The golden ratio, often used in art, symbolizes hope and the possibility of a future because
perhaps it is in art that humans use knowledge and science in harmony with nature and the
universe, not against it.
Tachi
