the human development.

Human development has me overly excited. But maybe I should tone it down slighty lest I exude too much of this nerd-like persona.

But seriously:

One cell.


Cell divides.


Cut to four weeks.

Embryo.

"By four weeks, the embryo has a head, tail, backbone and limb buds - which will eventually become arms and legs. The beginnings of ears and eyes are also visible. Its heart is already beating, and the other organs are forming fast."

WHAT?

Where is the logic that one single cell which had initally only replicated itself to form identical cells suddenly differentiate to have different functions and form different parts and precursor systems of the human body. In fact at week 3 or so, a cell destined to become the heart suddenly starts beating, without the slightest hint of a stimuli and to this date no one knows exactly what triggers it. Adjacent cells soon begin to beat in the same rhythm and thus begins the process of cardiac contractions. Same thing happens with everything else. One group suddenly happens to know that they'll be forming the lungs, and another the kidney and so on. I'm sorry but how does it know to do that? Whats stopping it from going erratic and producing 4 lungs, 5 kidneys, 3 fingers, no spleen, no stomach etc.

Jakun, I know.

A total of 9 months, and a potential of a million and one things going wrong, and yet they rarely ever do. Biological architecture of the human being amazes me and leaves me speechless more times than I can count. The process that it takes to produce a fully-formed being must be the essence of perfection.



update: Ironically I missed the 9am lecture on the topic, accidentally slept back after alarm went off. :(