A Single Ray Of Light

A single ray of light from a distant star falling upon the eye of a tyrant in bygone times may have altered the course of his life, may have changed the destiny of nations, may have transformed the surface of the globe, so intricate, so inconceivably complex are the processes in Nature.  In no way can we get such an overwhelming idea of the grandeur of Nature than when we consider, that in accordance with the law of the conservation of energy, throughout the Infinite, the forces are in a perfect balance, and hence the energy of a single thought may determine the motion of a universe.

-- Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), physicist, inventor, and electrical engineer, "On Light And Other High Frequency Phenomena", a lecture delivered before the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia (24 February 1893)