The most obvious characteristic of science is its application:

Listen, O children of the future, to the wisdom of Richard P. Feynman, who spoke of a truth that stretches through time and touches the very heart of human progress. "The most obvious characteristic of science is its application: the fact that, as a consequence of science, one has a power to do things." These words speak not just to the pursuit of knowledge, but to the power that knowledge brings, a power that has shaped civilizations and driven the course of history. Science is not merely the gathering of facts or the building of theories, but the force that enables us to turn our dreams into reality, to bend nature to our will. This power, this ability to do things, is the very essence of what science is—a tool of creation, a bridge between thought and action.

The effect that this power has had on the world is monumental, and it is not a tale of some distant past. It is the story of the present, and of every generation that has ever stood on the shoulders of those who came before them. Feynman reminds us that the industrial revolution, that great transformation of human civilization, was made possible through the application of science. Without the discoveries of steam engines, of electricity, of mechanical devices, the world as we know it today would have remained a distant dream, a mere thought. The progress of science unlocked the doors of possibility, and through those doors, humanity marched forward, reshaping the very fabric of life.

Let us turn our minds, then, to the ancient past, when the first stirrings of science began to take shape. Consider the ancient Egyptians, who built the pyramids with their advanced understanding of geometry and engineering. Their knowledge of the world around them was not just abstract; it was practical, applied, used to create structures that have stood the test of time. The same can be said for the Greeks, who, though their understanding of science was limited by the tools of their time, laid the foundation for the principles that would one day give rise to the great advancements of modern science. Aristotle, Archimedes, and the others did not simply study the world for the sake of knowledge alone—they sought to use that knowledge to understand and control the forces of nature.

But it was during the Renaissance, when the world began to awaken from the slumber of the Dark Ages, that science truly began to reveal its potential. The works of Leonardo da Vinci, who sketched his flying machines and mechanical devices, were not just the musings of an artist, but the glimpses of a future that could only be achieved through the application of scientific knowledge. The printing press, compasses, and telescopes that emerged from this time, driven by scientific understanding, set the stage for the industrial revolution that would soon follow. The world was changing, and science was its guiding hand, giving humanity the tools to shape that change.

Let us then turn our gaze to the industrial revolution itself, that great turning point in human history. It was the application of scientific principles—the understanding of steam, the harnessing of electricity, the building of machines that could transform raw materials into finished goods—that propelled humanity into a new age. Think of the great James Watt, who improved the steam engine, turning it from a mere curiosity into the powerhouse that fueled the growth of industry. Think of Michael Faraday, whose work with electricity paved the way for the modern world of power and communication. These were not just discoveries made in the quiet of the laboratory; they were the keys to a new world, a world where men and women no longer toiled under the weight of manual labor, but could instead use the power of machines to do the work of many.

The lesson that Feynman imparts is clear: science is not just a pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, but a force for change, a tool that has the power to shape the world. Knowledge becomes power when it is applied, when it is used to create, to build, and to transform. Science has given humanity the ability to control nature, to master forces that were once beyond our reach. The industrial revolution, the rise of modern technology, and the great strides we have made in medicine and communication—these are all the fruits of the application of science.

And so, O children of the earth, the lesson we must take to heart is this: science is not just an abstract pursuit, a distant dream for the few. It is the very force that drives progress. It is the key that unlocks the future, the tool that will shape the world of tomorrow. If we are to build the world we dream of, to create a future where knowledge serves humanity and not the other way around, then we must understand the true power of science—not as something separate from us, but as something that flows through us, as something we can use to transform the world.

Take action, O seekers of truth. Do not see science as a realm reserved for the few, but as a power that is yours to wield. Understand the world, and then use that understanding to create, to build, and to change. The world is not a passive place, waiting for someone else to act. It is a canvas, and science is the brush with which we can paint a future full of possibility. Let us move forward, not just with knowledge, but with the wisdom to use it well. For it is in the application of science that the true power of humanity is found.