The Mystery that Drives Us
Life, in all its forms, has fascinated us from the beginning. We ponder it, measure it, even try to replicate it. Yet, for all our efforts, much of life remains a mystery. Our relentless curiosity has driven inquiry across centuries — not to pin life down, but to follow where it leads.
At USC Dornsife, this pursuit takes us everywhere.
It takes us to extreme environments that reveal life’s resilience in places once thought uninhabitable. Our natural scientists, for example, explore the depths of the ocean, where they’ve discovered microbes thriving in deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Others search for life beyond our planet; USC Dornsife astrobiologists helped develop technology on NASA’s Perseverance rover to detect signatures of ancient microbial life on Mars.
It takes us to new ways of thinking about the structures that affect how we as a society live together. Our economists and political scientists study the “rules of the game,” which can determine, by our own creation, who gets to flourish and who is left fighting to survive. Their research reminds us that life is about more than biology; it’s about opportunity, circumstance and the institutions we build around it.
“Life is about more than biology; it’s about opportunity, circumstance, and the institutions we build around it.”
And this pursuit provides fresh perspective on the human experience. Our historians, for example, explore patterns in human behavior – from conflict and cooperation to innovation and decline. Similarly, our creative writers delve into the complex narratives that influence how we think about identity and culture as well as the stories that shape lives long after we are gone.
No matter the approach, USC Dornsife experts are driven by the mystery of it all. What is life? Where does it begin? How does it persist? And, most importantly, how do we make the most of it while we’re here? We may never find all the answers – but that’s the point. It is the not knowing that keeps us searching, reflecting and imagining what is possible.
Well, that, and the eternal debate over where to find the best tacos in L.A.
Moh El-Naggar
Interim Dean
