
The world around us is vast and largely unexplored. From the uncharted depths of our deepest oceans to the ever-expanding universe beyond planet Earth; from the evolving understanding of the human brain to the unknown ways every living organism on earth interact or communicates, humanity is just one small part of an incomprehensibly larger story that spans billions of years and infinite celestial bodies. To understand the world around us, we stay curious, explore, ask questions. We witness small acts of humanity and big moments of wonder. A wave of new research suggests there’s more we can – and should – be doing to understand the world around us. Recent scientific studies on human emotion have suggested that being in awe – the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that challenges our understanding of the world – can have numerous cognitive, physiological and social benefits; leading management consultancies point to curiosity as the most effective trait for transformational corporate leadership; and early childhood brain scientists confirm that encouraging children to experience the sensation of wonder can help expand their neural pathways. As we continue to battle our oldest demons – battles of “us” versus “them,” cooperation versus conflict, forward versus backward – and confront new and human-made challenges like climate change and responsibly using artificial intelligence, we must continue to develop new and imaginative ways to unlock the solutions that we have yet to identify. As the CGI community prepares to leave New York City to take action together once again, we must seek opportunities to wonder about what we’ve yet to create or understand; stay curious about what – and who – we don’t yet know; and remain in awe of the people and solutions around us that are working to change the world.