In 2001, scientists in Japan found microbes capable of digesting plastic. Almost nobody paid them any attention because plastic hadn’t been promoted to horseman of the climate apocalypse yet. Fifteen years later, aware of plastic islands the size of continents floating in the oceans, the breakthrough was deemed revolutionary.

As more scientists work on it, genetically modifying the microbes to make them ever faster and more voracious as well as discovering new species with better predispositions, we might be able to tackle our plastic problem after all.

Perhaps a hidden lesson in the story is that the planet doesn’t have a problem. We do. Microbes – which are reduced to a health threat by most of us – adapted to plastic being present in the environment in the blink of an evolutionary eye and mutated to eat it.

It’s a reminder that humans won’t save the planet, but the planet might still save us. If only we let it.

Microbes of hope

In its simplicity, vandalism is almost impossible to comprehend. Of course, the more intelligent or at least logical we become, the harder the task is to understand the madness of ruining something valuable for no apparent reason.

Paradoxically, this is the only fascinating aspect of vandalism: our incapacity to make sense of it. Over the years, this is the only correlation I’ve been able to establish: the more meaningless an existence, the closer it sits to such nonsensical actions. Let chaos rain when chaos reigns.

Indeed, whenever I’ve spoken to vandals, I’ve found they don’t reason their acts. They don’t need to; they need not to, in fact. Senseless violence can’t make sense.

Some like to dive deep and probe the inexplicable. Often, we’d be more efficient if we simply sought to give more people a chance to have purpose.

Vandalism can’t make sense

Reality is a mess. In its chaos, some are tempted to believe that everything happens for a reason. In contrast, others welcome the general state of disorder to accept all that happens as inevitable. Although the stances might appear as opposites, both leave their believers off the hook, unable to alter the world before them.

Both approaches seem oblivious to the more reasonable and complicated – indeed uncomfortable – idea that reality might be the sum of myriad disparate ambitions and intentions. For every human, there are multiple wants and perspectives. For every community, each of its individuals throws these into a collective clash.

When viewed thus, isn’t it incredible that we may get our way from time to time? Isn’t it wondrous that we may love someone who happens to love us back? Isn’t it hard to believe that we may set our differences aside and compromise on significant commitments that we couldn’t tackle in isolation?

Reality is a mess

Anyone with an interest in the truth knows that the law – whichever law it may be – is fiction. Indeed, there is nothing more insulting to science than calling the undeniable foundations of reality “the laws of nature”. There is nothing undeniable about the law. Rather, it is incredibly vague and given to interpretation.

Of course, people who defend their actions based on the law want us to believe that it is definitive, immutable and unambiguous. Yet, we can often use the same law to argue the opposite point. One quick search. One relevant and timely piece of advice. One moment of sagacity, one spark of lucidity. Any of the above is all it takes to dismantle a carefully presented case of solidity and unquestionability.

Unlike the truths of nature, the laws of humans are for us to use. It may feel like a double-edged sword, but as such, we can also brandish it.

Double-edged law

“To pay attention” is an expression we say without thinking. Alas, it would pay to pay closer attention to the phrase. Our attention is scarce and thus valuable. It should be expensive. Let’s not splash out so carelessly.

Paying too much (attention)

Problem-solving is fun. Like puzzles, it is a matter of time and effort before we crack most of them. We may have to acquire new skills or ask the right questions of the right people, but most issues we will face have a solution.

The problem with problem-solving is that it may lead us to reduce the world to a series of obstacles we must overcome. There is much more to it: harmony, balance and long-term visions are only as real even if often precarious and scarce.

It is worth paying attention to them as well.

Martian Thoughts

Microbes of hope

Vandalism can’t make sense

Reality is a mess

Double-edged law

Paying too much (attention)

Problem-solving problems