Man is a curious creature. Were he not, our species would have perished in Africa, the victim of overcrowding, malnutrition and disease. Curiosity, the stimulus for adventure and exploration, has take us across the globe and into space. At each step along the way, curiosity had to conquer fear.
The advance of human culture has also been dependent upon our curiosity, which was (and is) the essential ingredient for the scientific revolution. The desire to understand the "how and why" of our complex Universe (and of our place in it) has led to a long string of scientific theories and discoveries. Once again, the steps involved in this process necessitated the courage and curiosity to overcome fear and to take risks.
The knowledge derived from exploration and discovery can induce other fears. Some humans deal with these fears by ignoring or rejecting science-based knowledge. They hide within their simplified view of this world; for them, faith trumps science and curiosity tempts fate. Somehow, humans must ensure that our natural curiosity is sustained and that fear, of real or imagined threats, does not impede our progress.
