Comets Quote by Ann Druyan
“For most of the history of our species we were helpless to understand how nature works. We took every storm, drought, illness and comet personally. We created myths and spirits in an attempt to explain the patterns of nature.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: NASA documentary, 2020
Historically, humans misunderstood nature, creating myths to explain natural events.
In simple terms: We made myths to explain nature.
Key Takeaway
Embrace scientific inquiry over myth.
Themes
science
myth
understanding
Mood
thoughtful
educational
Type
informational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- education
- public outreach
- policy making
Key Concepts
human cognition
explanation
culture
Questions to Reflect On
- How do myths shape modern belief?
- What role does science play in cultural narratives?
A Different Perspective
Myths persist despite scientific progress.
![“What is striking is these things [patterns in nature, e.g. fish stripes] do look like something that has been crafted. We are conditioned to think that a pattern needs a patterner and so at first glance it seems incredible to us that nature is able to do this, without any sort of blueprint…” quote by Philip Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fa0/philip-ball-54140_able_what-is-striking-is-these-things-pattern_1710677.jpg)
![“Thirteen states with a population less than that of New York State alone can prevent repeal [of prohibition] until Halley's comet returns. One might as well talk about a summer vacation on Mars.” quote by Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/28f/clarence-darrow-1714_comets_thirteen-states-with-a-population-less-t_426370.jpg)
