Contributed by Laura E Rios

We need more wonder in this world. I see so many people who seem jaded, adopting a “been there, done that” attitude, but still, they manage to exhibit a lack of knowledge about everyday things.

Just to narrow things down a little bit, let’s start with what happens above us. Why is the sky blue? What makes the noise when you hear thunder? How many stars are visible from Earth? How long would it take to get to Mars? Unless you can actually answer those questions, I hope you’ve wondered about them.

It seems to me that the most interesting people have an active curiosity about the world. I don’t know about you, but I look up a dozen things a day. Google is my very good friend. There is great satisfaction in learning more about something you’ve looked up. For example, the sky appears blue due to a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering. Blue light has a shorter wavelength than other colors and is scattered by air molecules. This scattering distributes the blue light throughout the sky, which by day, makes the sky appear blue. Now that’s what I call a real blue light special!

Thunder makes noise because lightning superheats the air, which causes it to expand very rapidly. This creates a shockwave; thunder is what we hear when these sound waves are generated. Imagine my surprise on learning it wasn’t the angels bowling, which is what my mother told me when I was four years old.

If you’re still wondering about the number of stars we can see, or how long it would take to go to Mars, I suggest you look up these questions. It won’t take long. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

There is another type of wonder that isn’t simply curiosity, it’s more of an emotion. If you’ve stood on a mountain and gazed out on the panorama below, you’ve felt wonder. A sunrise or sunset can spark wonder. The vastness of an ocean, the constant waves rolling to the shore, and the nearly infinitesimal grains of sand also inspire wonder. Holding a newborn baby, having a stroke of incredibly good luck, (say, winning ten million dollars in the lottery) and standing in front of a famous, centuries-old structure can also invoke this type of wonder.

I believe we need to wonder, and to feel wonder. Having a healthy curiosity and the ability to experience awe are two things that separate us from lower life forms. When we stop asking questions, and when we no longer feel wonder, I think we stop growing as human beings. Don’t waste these gifts and opportunities!