The origins of science were deeply rooted in Christianity. Aristotelian cosmology was based on the concept that God created man and the universe. As a result, the universe was orderly and had the earth at the centre of it all. In order for science to progress further, man had to let go of these religious roots and completely separate science and religion. My artwork illustrates this disassociation.

My piece is meant to showcase a series of events, similar to a comic book. In the first panel, we see Eve grabbing for the apple. I chose to draw this, because Eve’s action is one that opposes all religious sanctions imposed upon her. She was told to not eat from this tree, but curiosity led her to taste the apple regardless. Next, we see her proudly holding the apple in her palm. The apple is bright red, a powerful colour that symbolizes adventure and seduction. Her hand is encompassed by an orange star-like figure, to emphasize the comic-like characteristics of the work. Orange is a very energetic colour, and is meant to symbolize the upcoming enlightenment. In the third panel, the apple has been dropped from the hand and is falling downwards. It hits Newton in the head, who is sitting below the tree and reading a book. Newton is reading to emphasize his intellectual qualities. The shock of the apple hitting Newton in the head leads to his epiphany, in which he realizes that space, time, energy and matter are separate and distinct notions[j1]. The first five panels demonstrate that Eve, the embodiment of religious defiance, brings about the first scientific revolution. Newtonian cosmology reorganizes the universe based on observation and scientific principles rather than religious ones. In the last panel, Newton is seen happily eating his apple underneath the tree, while Einstein pokes his head from behind the tree with a thought bubble in which all the four concepts are united. This is his theory of General Relativity. This shows the complete evolution of cosmology from Aristotle to Einstein.

Another symbolic element I added to my work, was the use of colours and landscapes to emphasize my ideas. In the first three panels, there are no landscapes. The background is simply white, suggesting that their view of science is incomplete. As the comic progresses, a partial landscape appears in the fourth panel. Newton has been hit by the apple meaning his ideas are beginning to form, and consequentially, grass, wind and birds appear. Once his ideas are made clear, and Einstein’s ideas are showcased as well, there is the apparition of a complete landscape, in the final panel. This suggests that the first five panels illustrate a partial view of science, whereas in the sixth there is a complete view of the evolution of science, resulting in a complete image.

For all the reasons stated above, I chose to name my piece “Atom and Eve.” This is a play on words on the commonly known biblical fable entitled “Adam and Eve.” I chose to name my piece this way, as it addresses the impact religion once had in science. This topic interested me, as I wasn’t aware of the grand influence religion had on the origins of science. The disassociation interested me as well, as Newtonian and 20th century cosmology seems limitless in its discoveries, as it isn’t restricted by religious sanctions.