The Lion King, Stardust, and the Cosmic Circle of Life
What if one of the universe’s deepest truths was hidden in plain sight, in the story of a young lion finding his place in the Circle of Life?
One of Mufasa’s most memorable moments was when he was walking Simba through the Pride Lands. He said "Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so, we are all connected in the great Circle of Life."
It’s a beautiful thought, isn’t it? The ‘Circle of Life’ isn’t just about the savannah or the natural world—it’s about something far bigger: a bond that ties us, not just to each other, but to the entire universe."
Mufasa’s words hint at something deeper—a connection that extends beyond the savannah to the entire cosmos. To understand it, we need to travel back 13.8 billion years, to the beginning of everything. The Big Bang.
In that moment, the universe burst into existence, creating the simplest element: hydrogen. That very same hydrogen still exists today—flowing through your body as part of every drop of water you drink, every cell you have. This first element became the fuel for the first stars.
These stars, massive cosmic furnaces, burned brilliantly before dying in spectacular explosions known as supernovae. In their final moments, they forged the heavier elements: carbon, oxygen, and iron. The very materials that make life possible.
Now, think about that for a moment: the iron flowing through your veins was created in the heart of a dying star billions of years ago. And that's just the beginning of your story. When these stars exploded, they scattered their stardust across the galaxy. Some of that stardust eventually coalesced to form our solar system—our sun, our planets, and Earth itself. Everything you are made of has been cycled through the universe, countless times over. You are, quite literally, made of the same atoms as stars, ancient civilizations, and every living thing that came before you.
The atoms in your body have traveled through vast oceans, stormy skies, and towering mountains. They've likely flowed through prehistoric rivers, lived in dinosaurs, and rested in glaciers older than empires. The carbon in your bones could have been part of an ancient forest or sailed with Viking ships across vast seas. The water molecules within you right now may have flowed through the tears of our ancestors, both in moments of joy and sorrow, connecting you to countless human stories.
And here’s the incredible part: this cycle never stops. Every element that makes you was once part of something else, and every breath connects you to the entire planet. In fact, as Neil deGrasse Tyson reminds us, "There are more molecules of air in every breath you take than there are breaths of air in all the atmosphere of the earth. So that when you exhale, there's enough of those molecules to scatter and, the- the- air currents will do this. To scatter into every breath of air that is inhaled. So when you take a breath of air you have molecules of air that went through the lungs of Jesus. We are all connected. And there's no way around it."
With every breath, you're part of an endless exchange that connects all life on Earth.
When Mufasa said, “We are all connected,” he wasn’t just talking about the food chain. He was describing a universal truth. You’re part of a vast, cosmic web, stretching across time and space.
So, what does this mean for you, right now?
The next time you feel small or disconnected, remember: you are part of the same story as the stars in the sky and the oceans on our planet. You are stardust. The atoms in your body carry the legacy of the universe, and your existence is a continuation of billions of years of cosmic evolution.
Stop for a second and look at your hands. The iron in your veins connects you to the hearts of ancient suns. Take a deep breath. The air you inhale ties you to every living thing on this planet. Step outside and look up at the stars in the night sky—they're not just distant points of light; they're cousins to those stars that, eons ago, forged the very elements in your body.
This is the true meaning of the Circle of Life. It’s not just about nature or the food chain—it’s about our shared existence. We are all part of the same unbroken story, written in the elements of the universe.
Until next time remember, you’re part of something extraordinary: The Great Circle of life.
If this spoke to you and you want to help it continue, here’s one way:
