It sometimes strikes me that the whole of science is a piece of impudence; that nature can afford to ignore our impertinent interference. If our monkey mischief should ever reach the point of blowing up the earth by decomposing an atom, and even annihilated the sun himself, I cannot really suppose that the universe would turn a hair.

Summary

This quote expresses the idea that science may be audacious in believing it can fully understand and control nature. It implies that despite humanity's advances and potential destructive capabilities, nature is vast and indifferent to our existence. Even if humans were to cause catastrophic events by their scientific endeavors, such as destroying the Earth or the sun, the universe would remain unaffected. It reflects a humbling perspective on our place in the grand scheme of things and the limitations of our knowledge and power.

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