The Molecular Gods

Dr. Sarfaraz K Niazi (e-mail: niazi@niazi.com)

Divinity is annexed to the mind, the mind to the intellect, the intellect to the intention, the intention to the imagination, the imagination to the senses, and the senses at last to things. CORNELIUS AGRIPPA.

All creatures, living or dead, and the universe around them are all composed of molecules (in turn made up of atoms, in turn made up of quarks), whose special arrangement gives these entities their appearance, properties, characteristics and feel. Molecules determine who we are, how we behave and how we feel. From the blushing cheeks of an 18-year old beau to the scream of a dying soul, it is all molecules; molecules interacting among themselves to create events, physical, chemical, emotional, spiritual and almost always unbelievable to us because we can not see molecules with our naked eyes.

The first random molecular interaction takes place at the time of conception. Molecular genes from male sperm combining with female ovum genes to create a new soup of genes which will determine the characteristics from the color of hair of a newborn to his intelligence. Today, with help of genetic engineering we combine genes to produce bacteria that eat oil to insects that repel other insects from crops. We are waiting to perform an experiment on human embryo to create a designer child?

One of the most exciting dances of molecules takes place in the functioning of our brain. Connected through millions of fibers carrying electrical impulses to all parts of our body, the brain controls all of our bodily functions. The flow of electrical impulse is governed by secretion of chemicals at the junction of fibers (at the neuron level) to fire or inhibit a fiber. Randomized determination of which fiber will be fired and which not is a chemical roulette, determining our behavior.