The Universe Within by Neil Shubin - Essay Example

The book explores the universe's various entities beyond their physical stature to find “deeper realities” (Shubin, 4). Throughout the book, an attempt is made to find the link between the giant galaxy and the anatomy of organisms. It explains how the elements present within the human body have been derived from the atmosphere. It also mentions why helium, although one of the earliest gases, is not found in humans because of its inability to take part in essential chemical reactions, including “metabolism, reproduction, and growth” (Shubin, 16). Oxygen, on the other hand, reacts readily with other elements, so its presence within the body is abundant. Thus this difference in reactivity explains the difference in the prevalence of these elements inside the human body. This gives us the idea of how human beings may have evolved from parts involved during the creation of the world and galaxy. The difference is brought about by the arrangement of microscopic particles that combine to form larger particles that eventually make up our cells, tissues, and organs. Hence, the origin of human physiology is the smallest unit of matter itself – the atom. Thus different species come about due to the different arrangement patterns of these tiny particles.

In the book, Shubin provides some very distinct aspects of evolution as set out by Charles Darwin. Shubin describes how species result from a class of living things which are in some way related to each other in terms of physical characteristics and genetic makeup. Shubin explains that since various species have some traits or features which make them similar, human beings are also related to the cosmological bodies, including stars and planets. This is because we are made up of the same elements found in such cosmological entities; therefore, we were created as meteors fell on earth transporting chemical aspects with them. This means we are related to these entities in terms of the atomic arrangement (Shubin, 18). Shubin has deeply explored the processes by which the atoms have combined through chemical reactions over the years to form stars (29).

The Universe Within seeks to address some complex details about human existence and has effectively related all the disciplines within the sciences to explain these details. The book lays out some critical information connecting the history of universe creation with that of living things. The central theme of this book is the broader scope of living things and other celestial objects that came into existence before us and paved the way for our creation. The explanation demonstrates that living things are linked to other beings in the galaxy. The formation of human beings resulted from the design of wider unique bodies which transferred vital elements onto the earth. This idea has also affirmed the presence of similar elements within human beings.

A connection is made using the chemical arrangement and proportion of elements within ourselves and our related ‘cousins’. By observing and speculating the constellations in the sky, Shubin mentions that he can find more profound evidence to facilitate understanding of our connection with the world (18). He admits that the world is full of secrets and that the realities are more profound than what might appear (Shubin, 16). Thus, to determine and fully comprehend our connection with the universe and its entities, we can observe the sky, which seems to have various answers to our questions. Thus, living things are linked with other galactic objects in the sky, and observation can help us understand this relationship.