Time and again, this question has perplexed me. Why is it research and not just search? After all, research is searching . We attempt to explore new boundaries, discover new things that changes our lives, and yet we don’t refer to our attempt as search, but research !
Perhaps there is a reason. As humans we have been blessed with a superior ability to question things and try to find answers for them. Imagine what would have happened if Newton did not question “why the apple fell” and merely accepted that as a fact of life. It is this power of questioning that is the foundation of our quest for knowledge, which in turn leads to ground breaking discovery. Yet, the process of discovering is called Research.
Perhaps there is a deeper meaning to it. Are we really finding something totally new, or merely trying to uncover the mystery of something that has already been figured out and implemented. Think of the Universe and its immense dynamics. We have an entire canvas where the laws of physics and chemistry (that we found out via Research) are at play. We have learnt a lot and have much more to learn. We have barely scratched the surface. Another way of looking at it is to look around us. Mother Nature has a lot in store for us to learn and evolve. Imagine how a Cobra can sense 1/100 of Celsius temperature difference with its IR vision, how a sea-turtle can sense the magnetic field of the earth to lay out its course in the vast oceans, how a Shark can sense 1ppb (parts per billion) of blood in sea water, how many lightening has hit the earth when each one is capable of powering an entire mega city for a day and how the flocks of birds form beautiful patterns that we call murmuration. There is a lot to learn, a lot of “re”find things that Nature has already figured out.
Its time to look around, ask questions and start on the quest of “Re”Search !
