Physicist's 60-second message on saving the planet is impacting everyone around the world

The need to be vigilant and protect Mother Earth is the need of the hour. Several leaders are taking steps and measures to save the planet and protect its resources. Physicist and professor Brian Cox shared a meaningful message that changed the entire perspective of the need to save the planet. His trivial words offered a new perspective with a more overwhelming need to save the Earth. ABC TV shared a video on Instagram of the professor relaying a message he had given at a seminar years ago.

He mentioned that he was asked to give world leaders a message about saving the planet and all he had was a minute. He began by saying, “I was asked to give an introduction at one of the COP Climate Summits a few years ago in Glasgow." He added, “They said, ‘You have one minute to tell them something. What do you want to tell them?’” He then moved on to mention the powerful message he put together for the people. He added, “As far as we can tell, this planet is the only island of meaning in an ocean of 400 billion suns." Elaborating further, he added, “What is the meaning? It’s surely a property of living things. We know it exists because the universe means something to us.”

“We’re the only island of meaning in an ocean of 400 billion suns and therefore, if we destroy this, then we may eliminate meaning in a galaxy of about 400 billion stars potentially forever,” Cox explained further. While his statement was a hit on the head and conveyed everything he possibly needed to, he even asked the crowd at the Summit to discuss further for their introspection. Cox perfectly summed up the years’ worth of encouragement and motivation required to save the planet. His words undoubtedly left people speechless pondering what a massive and valuable responsibility lies on their shoulders as humans.

Commonwealth Bank shared insights from Cox’s conference, Momentum: Accelerating Australia’s Transition held a few years ago which shed more light on his 1-minute power-packed message. He said, “Just imagine that indeed [Earth] is the only place in this galaxy of 400 billion suns where there are collections of atoms like us that can think and feel and bring meaning to the universe.” He further said, “It means that if we eliminate ourselves through deliberate action, or maybe inaction, then we run the risk of eliminating meaning perhaps forever in this galaxy, if we’re the only place where a civilization exists.” Cox also brought forth the realization that humans hold a tremendous and impressive position in the galaxy.

He said, “That tells us, perhaps paradoxically, that the science that told us we were physically insignificant has also possibly told us we are indescribably valuable.” In a conversation with Sally Reid from Commonwealth, Cox explained that the value behind this truth is beyond measure. Reid shared a quote that read, “A fool who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” The duo discussed the value the human civilization holds regarding Cox’s words about meaning. “You can put a price on what happens if you eliminate our civilization—you can cost out our civilization’s worth monetarily. If it’s true that we’re [the only civilization] in this galaxy, you don’t just eliminate the economy of the galaxy, you eliminate meaning in the galaxy. I don’t know how to value that,” he said.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on 1.9.24. It has since been updated.