On a sunny afternoon, Xiao Li, a young biology graduate student, was looking at a sample of skin from his fingers under a microscope. Her attentive and intelligent eyes shone with curiosity, and the corners of her mouth inadvertently sparkled with a smile of joy. The specimen has a complex and clear structure of ridges and valleys.
Xiao Li gently adjusted the focal length of the microscope and said to himself, "It turns out that this is the secret of forming finger threads!" She recalls that her mentor had explained that during the 10th to 17th week of embryonic development, the basal layer of the epidermis would develop into a distinctive thread pattern.
Just then, the door to the lab was pushed open, and an old man with gray hair walked in. He is Xiao Li's grandfather, a farmer who has been retired for many years. The old man looked at his granddaughter's attentive appearance and smiled with satisfaction.
"Girl, what are you studying?" The old man asked with a kind face.
Xiao Li said excitedly: "Grandpa, I'm studying the threads on my fingers!" Did you know that everyone's thread is unique, just like our DNA? ”
After listening to this, the old man sighed thoughtfully: "I really didn't expect that there is so much knowledge in this little fingerprint road." "
Xiao Li enthusiastically explained to his grandfather: "Yes, grandpa. The formation of snails is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Interestingly, even identical twins have different fingerprints.
The old man's eyes flashed with a glimmer of memory, and he nodded and said, "Speaking of this, I thought of an incident when I was young. ”
Xiao Li asked his grandfather curiously, what did his grandfather remember at this time.
Fifty years ago, in the summer, a fortune teller came to the village, and he swore that he could predict a person's fate by looking at the threads on his fingers.
When Xiao Li heard this, he couldn't help frowning and said, "Grandpa, that must be superstition." We all know by now that although the thread of a screw is unique, this does not prove that it has any connection to our destiny.
The old man smiled and gently patted his granddaughter on the shoulder, and said to her seriously, "You are very right, granddaughter. However, in that era, in that kind of predicament, people need some spiritual sustenance.
Xiao Li nodded thoughtfully and sighed: "In the face of an unknown future, we often want to find some certainty. ”
The old man's words opened the door to the past. Xiao Li realized that finger threading is not only a biological phenomenon, but also carries a rich cultural and historical connotation. She decided to take a deeper look at the topic and explore this unique human trait not only from a scientific point of view, but also from a human point of view.
The old man's words were like opening the door of time, bringing Xiao Li back to the countryside half a century ago. The old man slowly told the story of his youth, and his eyes gradually became deeper, as if he had traveled back to that distant era.
"The story takes place on a hot summer day 50 years ago." The old man began to recall, "There is a fortune teller in our village. He had a long beard and wore a shabby robe, which looked mysterious.
Xiao Li listened attentively and couldn't wait to ask, "Grandpa, what did that fortune teller say?" "
The elders then told me: "At that time, the people in the village were struggling to make a living. Successive droughts have reduced crop yields and many people have been pushed into poverty. ”
The old man's words revealed a deep feeling. "A fortune teller once told me that he could predict a man's fate by looking at the threads on his fingers."
The fortune teller often recites such a sentence in his mouth: "One snail is poor, two snails are rich, and three snails and four snails sell tofu." The people of the village rushed to him to tell their fortunes, hoping to find a way to change their fate.
When Xiao Li heard this, not only did he not agree with this view that has no scientific basis, but also frowned.
The old man nodded and said, "Now of course we all know that there is no scientific basis for this. But in the institutional environment, people at that time needed a certain amount of spiritual sustenance. We should understand how difficult rural life was in those days.
The old man continued: "Interestingly, threads are called differently in different places. In our place, we call it 'snail', but in some places, people will call it 'satire', and some people will even call it 'mosquito'. These terms are closely related to the agricultural tools we commonly use."
Xiao Li said thoughtfully: "These names reflect the characteristics of the farming culture at that time, right? "That's right," said the old man, looking approvingly at his granddaughter, "because our threads resemble the marks left by the ploughing tools we used to plow the land." In fact, the plough is the most important tool we use to farm the land.
The old man continued: "Some places call it 'lines' because they use a rake there, and the marks left by raking look like striped roads. There are also places called 'mosquitoes' because the threads look a lot like bags left behind by mosquito bites.
Xiao Li listened attentively and sighed: "It turns out that behind these seemingly simple titles, there are so many cultural connotations. "
The old man nodded approvingly: "Yes, these names are like a mirror, reflecting the way of life of our ancestors. "
The old man continued: "When the fortune teller came to the village, everyone began to study their fingers. Some people find out that they have two threads, and they smile all day long, thinking that they are going to get rich.
"And what about later? What happened to those who believed in the predictions? Xiao Li asked curiously.
The old man sighed, and then said, "Some people believe it and even change their life plans. Like my cousin, he was going to go to the city to learn the trade, but after looking at his fingers, he felt that he was destined to farm, so he gave up the opportunity to learn.
Hearing this, Xiao Li couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "The harm of superstition is really huge, it may affect people's judgment, and even change the trajectory of life. ”
The old man nodded in approval, "That's true." However, this statement is not entirely bad. It gives hope in a way that makes them find some hope in their predicament.
Xiao Li was deeply immersed in thought, he said: "This phenomenon reflects people's deep anxiety about the future and a strong curiosity about fate. "
"That's right," the old man looked at his granddaughter approvingly, "in that age of material scarcity, people needed some spiritual sustenance. These predictions, true or false, at least give people some courage to face the future.
Hearing the old man mention the different names of threads in different places, Xiao Li felt very excited. He said, "Grandpa, can you tell us more about these names?" I'd love to know what people in different places call threads.
The old man readily agreed, a look of remembrance on his face. "Then let's get started, and I'll talk to you about it. These names are the wisdom of our ancestors' lives. ”
"We call it 'snails,'" the old man began to explain, "because the threads look like marks left by us when we ploughed the ground." We people there know that the plough is the most important tool we have for farming.
Xiao Li nodded thoughtfully, "So that's the case, this name directly reflects the farming culture." "
That's right, the old man continued, "there are some places where they call it 'Lines,' and that's because they use rakes there. In the process of cultivating with a rake, the land will leave a trail of similar lines, so they named it 'grain' based on this characteristic.
"It's more interesting to come," a smile flashed in the old man's eyes, "some places are called 'mosquitoes', can you guess why?" "
Xiao Li thought for a moment, "Is it because the threads resemble the marks left by mosquito bites?" "
"Good, smart!" The old man gave his granddaughter an approving look and went on to explain, "The shape of the threads resembles a bag left behind by a mosquito bite, so they call it a 'mosquito'. "
Xiao Li lamented: "These titles are really vivid and vivid, and they directly reflect the life experience and observation of the locals. ”
The old man nodded in agreement: "Indeed, these names are like a mirror, reflecting the way of life of our ancestors. Behind each name, there is a vibrant life history.
For example, the old man explained that the place called "snail" is usually an agricultural area dominated by arable land, where people cultivate, sow and harvest day in and day out.
Whereas, the word 'tattoo' is more used in mountainous or hilly areas. The land in these places needs to be prepared with rakes, so they are more impressed by the lines left by the rakes.
Xiao Li said thoughtfully: "These titles reflect the diversity of languages, but also the geographical characteristics and production methods of different regions. ”
"Yes," the old man said approvingly, "language is like this, it carries the history, culture and way of life of a place. Through these simple names, we can see a microcosm of rural life in the past.
Xiao Li couldn't help but sigh: "It's so funny! We may think that these names are common, but in fact, they hide such a rich cultural connotation. ”
The old man smiled and said, "Yes, this is the charm of our traditional culture. Every seemingly simple title may hide a small cultural treasure. ”
Looking at his granddaughter, the old man sighed, "Girl, you're right. That's why we should cherish and protect these traditional cultures, which are the precious treasures left to us by our ancestors, while pursuing scientific progress.
The old man's topic returned to thread prediction, and a trace of helplessness and a smile flashed in his eyes, as if he had returned to that era of lack of information.
"When the fortune teller came, the village came alive at once," the old man recalled, "and everyone began to study their fingers." Some people find themselves with two threads, and they are happy all day long, thinking that they are going to get rich.
Xiao Li asked curiously, "What about later?" What happened to those who believed in the prophecy? ”
The old man sighed, and he told us that some people do not have the ability to distinguish between the real and the fake, and even change their life plans because of this. For example, his cousin, whose original plan was to go to the city to learn a trade, but after seeing his fingers, he felt that he was destined to farm, so he gave up the opportunity.
"Really?" Xiao Li was surprised, "Just because of the threads on your fingers, you changed your life plan?" "
The old man nodded, "In those days, people were very superstitious about these sayings, such as 'one snail is poor, two snails are rich, and three snails and four snails sell tofu'. After this phrase spread in the village, everyone began to count the threads on their fingers.
Interestingly, different people will have different understandings of this sentence. Some people think that the more threads the better, while others think that two threads are the most auspicious.
Xiao Li said thoughtfully: "This phenomenon implies people's anxiety about the future and speculation about fate. "
"You're right." The old man looked at his granddaughter with satisfaction, "In that era of scarcity of materials, people needed some spiritual sustenance. These predictions, true or false, at least give people some courage to face the future.
The old man continued: "Some people even began to choose a profession based on threads. It's like some people really go and sell tofu when they find out they have four threads. "
Hearing this, Xiao Li couldn't help frowning: "Is this really reasonable?" There are more factors to consider before making a choice. "
The old man nodded approvingly, "You're quite right. But please understand that in those days, people had less freedom and they had few opportunities to make their own choices. These predictions give them a sense of control and a sense that their fate is predictable.
"Above all," the old man added, "these statements are not all bad. It gives people hope in a way and gives them something to look forward to in their difficult lives. "
Xiao Li pondered and said: "I understand that when people are facing an uncertain future, they always want to find some guidance. "
The old man continued: "This matter spread very quickly in the village, and everyone was talking after tea and dinner about whose fingers had a few threads, and whose fate would be. "
The old man laughed and said that it was interesting that some people actually wanted to change the threads on their fingers, trying to change what they thought was their 'fate' in this way. However, this is not possible.
Xiao Li asked in surprise: "Is anyone really doing this?" ”
The old man nodded, "People sometimes try things that seem ridiculous in order to pursue good luck. "
"But," the old man added, "over time, threads through these fingers do not really determine a person's fate." What really determines your fate is your own efforts and choices.
After listening to it, Xiao Li sighed: "This story is not only full of deep meaning, but also quite interesting. It made me deeply aware of the darkness and diversity of human nature, and at the same time felt the power and value of scientific knowledge.
The old man looked at his granddaughter and said with relief: "Learning is to understand and look at the world with a scientific attitude, and understanding traditional ideas is also part of cultural inheritance." "
The old man's narration unfolds in the laboratory, like opening a scroll depicting rural life, where science and superstition, tradition and modernity collide in this small space.
Xiao Li said thoughtfully: "Listening to you say this, I can better understand why people in that era believed these predictions. But from a scientific point of view, these claims are clearly unfounded.
The old man agreed, "Yes, now we know it's not scientific. But in those days, in that difficult environment, people needed psychological sustenance. ”
Xiao Li went on to explain: "Our research found that finger threads are indeed unique, but they are not necessarily related to a person's fate. In fact, thread formation is a very complex biological process that is influenced by a variety of factors.
After listening to his granddaughter's explanation, the old man had a look of approval on his face. "You're right. In retrospect, those predictions were more of a psychological consolation. However, we cannot deny the value of these traditional cultures in their entirety.
Xiao Li asked his grandfather curiously, "How do you see the relationship between traditional culture and modern science?" ”
After thinking for a moment, the old man said, "I don't think that tradition and science are opposites. Traditional culture reflects people's attitudes and expectations towards life, while science helps us better understand the world.
The key is to approach it with the right attitude."
Xiao Li pondered for a while, then nodded seriously and said, "You are right. It may be that we should not only maintain the core part of traditional culture, but also use scientific methods to understand and explain these phenomena concretely.
The old man looked at his granddaughter and said with joy, "Girl, you are so right. That's why I'm so happy to see you studying science. Your generation, with both tradition and scientific knowledge, can better promote social progress.
The old man nodded: "You're right. There may be some unscientific elements in our traditional culture, but it also reflects the wisdom of our ancestors. We need to distinguish with a scientific attitude and retain the valuable parts.
Xiao Li suddenly remembered something, so he asked his grandfather: "Grandpa, do you remember the gang of people in the village?" It's the same group of people who once believed in thread predictions. What happened to them? ”。
The old man smiled and said, "Interestingly, whether they believe it or not, the final result is pretty much the same. Those who work hard, no matter how many threads they have on their fingers, will end up happily ever after.
And for those who are looking forward to luck all day long, the days are getting harder and harder."
Xiao Li realized: "Isn't this a reflection of the scientific point of view? An individual's fate is primarily determined by individual effort and choice, not by metaphysical predictions. "
The old man looked at his granddaughter approvingly, and then said, "Yes, we need to respect tradition as well as believe in science, because tradition gives us cultural roots, and science guides us in the direction of progress."
Xiao Li said with emotion: "I have gained a lot from today's dialogue. Not only did it give me an insight into a rich and colorful history, but it also gave me a whole new perspective on scientific research.
The afterglow of the setting sun poured in through the windows of the laboratory, bringing a warm end to this dialogue across time and space. The conversation between Xiao Li and his grandfather is not only a collision between science and tradition, but also a heart-to-heart exchange.
Xiao Li said thoughtfully: "Grandpa, today's conversation has given me a new understanding of finger threads. From a scientific point of view, it is a unique biological feature; From a cultural point of view, it carries a wealth of folklore and wisdom.
The old man said with relief: "Yes, this is the charm of our traditional culture. Even things that seem simple may have deep cultural connotations hidden behind them. "
Xiao Li continued: "But at the same time, we must also use a scientific attitude to understand these phenomena. For example, we now know that thread formation is a complex biological process that is not necessarily linked to a person's fate.
"That's right, that's why we need to learn, to look at the world with a scientific attitude. But at the same time, we also need to understand and respect those traditional ideas, because they are all part of our culture. The old man said approvingly.
After thinking for a while, Xiao Li agreed: "The balance between science and tradition is crucial, we need to respect traditional culture, and at the same time, we must use scientific methods to understand the world.
The old man looked at his granddaughter and said with relief, "Son, you are so right! The future is in their own hands and does not depend on the threads on their hands. We must believe in science, but we must not deny the value of traditional culture entirely.
Xiao Li nodded approvingly and replied, "Yes, grandpa." After today's exchange, I have come to realize more deeply that scientific research must not ignore the social and cultural context.
While we pursue scientific truth, we must also respect and understand traditional culture."
"Not only that, but traditional culture often contains people's ingenuity and understanding of life. Even the seemingly superstitious statements may reflect people's yearning for a better life and expectations for the future.
Xiao Li suddenly realized: "I understand, grandpa." We should look at tradition and science with a dialectical eye. Traditional culture gives us the foundation to pass on culture, and science guides us in the direction of progress.
The old man said excitedly, "That's right, girl." Your generation is both knowledgeable about tradition and science, so that it is better able to promote social progress. "
Xiao Li smiled and said to his grandfather: "Don't worry, grandpa, I will always remember your teachings and find a balance between science and tradition." "