Beauty of the Universe

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Muhammad Irfan Saeed

Dr. Farrukh A. Chishtie

What makes us human beings is our curiosity which is the essence of human existence, and space exploration has been part of humankind for a long time. Throughout history, humans have looked to the skies to navigate the vast oceans, to decide when to plant their crops and to answer questions like where we come from, how we got here and where can grow.

Astronomy is an old scientific field, invented 3000 years ago; in fact, we are all descendants from astronomers. Our survival depended on knowing how to read stars in order to predict the changing of seasons on Earth. We awakened in this tiny world beneath a blanket of stars, like an abandoned baby left on a doorstep without a note to explain where we came from, who we are, how our universe came to be, and with no idea how to end our cosmic isolation. We have had to figure it out all by ourselves. It is a discipline that opens our eyes, gives context to our place in the universe, and that can reshape how we see the world.

Astronomy has always had a significant impact on our worldview. As our understanding of the world progresses, we find ourselves and our view of the world even more entangled with the cosmos. The oxygen we breathe, carbon in our muscles, calcium in our bones, and iron in our blood — all of it was cooked in the fiery heart of dying stars. We are made up of star stuff. The cosmic perspective is relatively new; a mere four centuries ago, when there were no telescopes, the universe was only what we could see with the naked eye. Back then, everyone assumed that Earth was the center of the universe, a universe made for us. Galileo shattered that illusion with his first look through a telescope, showing that Earth is not even the center of our solar system, but revolves around the Sun with other planets, and that the Milky Way was made of countless stars like our Sun, invisible to the naked eye. In merely four centuries, it has taken us from Galileo's telescope to leaving footprints on the Moon. As Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."

This perspective also shows how beautifully we are connected. The same processes that forged the stars forged us; the iron flowing in our blood and the calcium in our bones are direct gifts of the universe. When we look at the night sky, it is not just distant light we see — it is a reminder that every atom in our bodies has traveled an extraordinary journey across cosmic time. The universe is not something “out there” and separate; it is within us, binding us together in a vast and elegant web of connection. To recognize this is to understand that our human story is inseparable from the larger cosmic story.

Astronomy also inspires us to search for other worlds. The discovery of exoplanets—planets orbiting stars beyond our Sun — has shown us that planetary systems are not rare but widespread. Some are giant gas planets orbiting too close to their stars, others are icy, and a few resemble “waterworlds.” These discoveries ignite our imagination about what might be possible elsewhere. Yet as exciting as this frontier is, it also reminds us of something essential: while we may one day learn about life beyond Earth, no exoplanet can yet replace the precious balance that sustains life here.

Our first duty is to this planet. Earth already offers liquid water, rich biodiversity, protective atmosphere, and the delicate rhythms that make life possible. We must learn to manage it in a sustainable way, drawing lessons from nature itself—its cycles of renewal, its capacity for balance, its resilience. Exoplanets must be researched to expand human knowledge and perspective, but our priority must be to make Earth a shining example of harmony with the wider universe. Only then can our quest among the stars be a reflection of wisdom, rather than of escape from mistakes made at home.

At this stage in Pakistan, we inherit a great heritage as Muslim scientists were pioneers of this field. They  had a passionate desire to understand nature. They questioned everything, especially those things that everyone took for granted. The work of the Muslim astronomers who lived between the 9th and 12th centuries was both innovative and accurate. Its influence was felt for generations to come. Many of the most basic concepts of modern astronomy were either developed directly by them or came about through their influence on later astronomers. It was the golden age of science in the Islamic world. Much of Greek science would have been extinguished without their efforts. The reawakening of science that took place in Europe hundreds of years later was kindled by the flame that had long been tended by Islamic scholars and scientists. Even Arabic numerals are one of our inventions, as is the concept of zero. Arabic astronomy was so influential that we still call many bright stars by their Arabic names, and words like algebra, algorithm, alchemy, and alcohol trace back to the time when Arabic was the language of science. In that period, mathematics took a great leap; agriculture, engineering, medicine, navigation, and star maps flourished. Astrolabes were crafted. Then it all stopped. It ended.

Learning the age of the stars, how they form, and finding Earth-like planets and potential life elsewhere in the universe — what difference does that make? Part of it depends on how big a universe you are willing to live in. Some may like it small, close, and familiar. That is understandable. But I like it big. And I want to take all of this into my heart and mind. I am uplifted by it. And when I have that feeling, I want to know that it is real, not just something happening inside my head, because it matters what is true. And our imagination is nothing compared to nature’s awesome reality.

As Carl Sagan said, "Our planet... is the lonely speck in the great, enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Like it or not, for the moment, the Earth is where we make our stand."

Astronomy is indeed a humbling and character-building experience. To me, it underscores our responsibility not only to cherish the pale blue dot, but also to make it a model of sustainability and harmony within the cosmos. If the universe shows us how beautifully we are connected, then Earth must be our first and greatest expression of that connection — an example of balance and stewardship that echoes the elegance of the stars.