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Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

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Editorial: Hope

31 December 2015 | The Fountain | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

2015 did not leave behind much of a legacy upon which we can build our new year’s hopes. But the future cannot be built upon hopelessness, nor can it be built upon fantasies – we have to face the sad realities of the world as it is, and seek concrete solutions that can enable a global restoration…

A Self-Interrogation

31 December 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

O ego! Escape the feeling of autumn and transform into a green meadow with birds flying around above you; be a spring so all those with burning souls come running to you; spread light like candles so those in darkness can see and make their way to you. Embrace others with affection and sincerity…

Like Dissolves Like

31 December 2015 | F. Nurcihan Can | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

Can you imagine a cup of coffee, sugarless at the top but intensely sweet at the bottom? Likewise, imagine a bowl of soup without salt at the top but over-salted at the bottom. Would these be enjoyable? We owe the joy of uniformly sweetened coffee or perfectly seasoned soup, as well as several vita…

Science and Religion in a World of Religious Pluralism

31 December 2015 | Philip Clayton | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

We live in a time of deep division: Will the coming years reveal an increasing number of partnerships between science and religion, or will we see a battle to the death between the two? The world has never been more reliant on the fruits of science. Yet the tree of knowledge that produces this fru…

The Discovery of Green Water

31 December 2015 | Harun Avci | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

The populations of cities, countries – and thus, the world – are constantly increasing. During the last two centuries, due to the impact of industrialization, human welfare has improved in parallel with a major leap in production and consumption.Improved welfare and booming populations have led to…

Jennifer’s Baby

31 December 2015 | Nihal Balci | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

"I don't know how you do this?" Hannah said with a smile. "You have to plan first and plant later” Jennifer told her. Then she answered all her questions patiently and went into details about how she tended her tomato bed, how much she buried the seedlings, and how often she watered them. She was…

The Fallacy of Vestigial Organs: Outer Ear Muscles

31 December 2015 | Arslan Mayda | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

The outer ear (auricula) is an oval structure, its wide part facing upwards. When we look at the auricula, we think that it is only composed of skin and cartilage. However there are nine perfectly positioned muscles present in an auricula (Figure 1). In addition, some anatomists accept the m.tempar…

The Intricate Beauty of the Nervous System

31 December 2015 | Brian Turk | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

The human body is comprised of many systems, but none quite like the nervous system. This enigmatic system runs throughout the whole body, accomplishing millions of tasks every second. It is the system with the largest number and variation of cells, thus making it extremely complex and difficult to…

Wajd (Ecstasy)

31 December 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

Wajd (ecstasy) is overflowing with spiritual joy and enthusiasm, and rather than using reason, logic, or will, one follows the spiritual state in which one is. It consists of God’s surprising visit to the heart of one of His servants with special favor. When this favor originates in God’s Grace, br…

The Art of Scaling In Biology

31 December 2015 | Ihsan Kose | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

Scaling in biology explains how a system?s characteristic is affected when another dependent factor changes. One of the prime examples of scaling has to do with metabolism. The average energy spent by a resting organism (the basal metabolic speed) is strongly related to the organism?s body mass, an…

The Ramadan Journal

31 December 2015 | Lawrence Brazier | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

Thursday June 18, 2015: the ninth month of the Muslim year and the beginning of the fast of Ramadan. The early hours of Thursday and already the sky is no longer dark. If I’d been up an hour earlier and I could have taken breakfast. But who would normally have breakfast at 4 am? Focus is the key –…

Sea Algae

31 December 2015 | H. Arif Ustaoglu | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

Used extensively in the food industry, and serve as the raw material for plant fertilizers and many drugs used to fight diseases, seaweeds (or algae) are multicellular organisms that grow and develop in seas, rivers, and lakes. They can thrive in both saltwater and freshwater environments. They are…

The Qur’an and Education: Transcending How We Understand Difference

31 December 2015 | Akan Malici | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

“If God had so willed, He would have made you a single people,” the Qur’an states (5:48). However, after having created all of humanity from a single male and female, God made us into different “nations and tribes” (49:13). The purpose of having created us in distinct ways, is that we “come to know…

Emerald Hills

31 December 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

It is the high season to view the spectacle of the earth, As spring has leaned upon emerald hills. Mirth in all villages, feasts everywhere, Magic spices incensing the air… Life springs from streaming waters, Melodies rise from swans, And rivers wishing a reunion, Warble from mountains towards sea…

The Sanctuary of Salvation

31 December 2015 | Musa Ilhan | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

The sanctuary of salvation encapsulates our entire being as we attempt to engage with our Maker. Though we are infinitely distant from Him, He is ever close; He is Omnipresent. To Him, we whisper our deepest secrets, joys, and regrets, for verily He is all hearing, all knowing (8:17). We utter thin…

The Recuperation of Lost Brain Functions

31 December 2015 | Omer Arifagaoglu | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

The brain of a newborn baby grows and develops very quickly. Within the first three years of life, the intense formation of new nerve cells (neurons), neural networks, and connections (axons, synapses, and dendrites) occur. At this phase, connections are made to other neighboring or distant neurons…

How can one reach his or her spiritual potential?

31 December 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

First, it is important to practice concentrated contemplation, which should be directed both into one’s inner self and to the wider existence of the universe. This can be done through deep and comprehensive thinking on our journey that begins with birth and eventually, hopefully, leads to eternal l…

Science Square (Issue 109)

31 December 2015 | The Fountain | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

Potentially habitable Earth-like planet discovered Wright DJ et al. Three planets orbiting Wolf 1061. Astrophysical Journal Letters, December 2015. Astronomers from Australia have discovered the closest potentially habitable planet outside our solar system. They named it Wolf 1061c. It is four ti…

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