By Mary O’KEEFE

In the circles in which I travel there is a lot of concern about what the future for climate change research holds and as a mom and a grandma I share in this concern. But then I remember one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite movies.

It is from “Jurassic Park” and the creator of the park, John Hammond, and scientist Henry Wu are explaining to Dr. Ian Malcom (a mathematician specializing in chaos theory) why the dinosaurs in the park cannot breed. Wu explains that all of the dinos are female. Malcom asks how they know they are all females and Wu explains that the park people control the dinos’ chromosomes. 

“John, the kind of control you’re attempting simply is … it’s not possible. If there is one thing the history of evolution has taught us is that life will not be contained,” Malcom said. “I’m simply saying that life, uh … finds a way.”

To me, in the context of this article, means science will find a way. There have been times when science has been pushed to the side for one reason or the other but it does not stop the fact that scientists will continue to do science …. it is in their nature – and science will not be contained.

One of the more well-known scientists whose discoveries could not be contained was Galileo Galilei. He was an Italian astronomer and physicist. In 1633 he was arrested, tried and convicted for publishing his evidence that supported the Copernican theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun. Of course this went against the Catholic Church and Scripture that, at the time, stated the Earth was the center of the universe … not the Sun. Galileo was found “vehemently suspect of heresy” for his views and was required to “abjure, curse and detest” his opinions. He was sentenced to house arrest where he remained for the rest of his life … and his texts were banned. Apparently the powers-that-be felt if it wasn’t talked about it wasn’t real. 

Galileo’s discoveries laid the foundation for modern astronomy. 

He also invented an early type of thermometer, made significant achievements in astronomical observations and discovered the four largest moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn. 

And then there was Albert Einstein. Hitler came into power in 1933 and his Nazi movement immediately began its persecution of Jews in Germany. Einstein was a Jew and very vocal in his opposition to Nazism. Nazis focused on Einstein, painting him as a symbol of Jewish degeneracy and the Gestapo repeatedly raided his family’s home. Einstein was teaching in California at the time. He eventually renounced his German citizenship. During this time 14 Nobel laureates and 26 professors of theoretical physics fled Germany. 

Science again found a way, regardless of the surroundings, and all thatGerman knowledge did not end but flowed into other countries.

In my most optimistic “Star Trek” moments, despite our differences I really do believe that all of mankind wants what is best for the Earth. We all want to hand down a planet that is better than when we got here. We want our grandchildren and great grandchildren to be proud of our love – not only for our country but for our planet and, at our foundation, humans are and have always been curious and have been explorers. In the best of times, and the worst of times, we cannot contain our need to learn and to grow.

“They used to say that if man was meant to fly, he’d have wings. But he did fly. He discovered he had to,” said James T. Kirk in “Return to Tomorrow.”

Our forecast looks like rain from Saturday through Monday. We could see anywhere from 1/10th to 1/4 inch on Saturday and up to an inch on Sunday into Monday. It does appear the rain will end on Tuesday but the future for a sunny Thanksgiving is not quite certain, according to NOAA.