continue one's journey meaning

51 Meaningful Quotes About How Life is a Journey

There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.

They say that life is about the journey and not the destination. But what does that really mean?

You’ve probably heard this line a million times before, but maybe you couldn’t quite understand what it was trying to illustrate. 

The most successful people will tell you that the process of accomplishing something is far more valuable than the end result. You learn much more from all of your experiences and encounters than you do from arriving at the destination.

Ultimately, the process is the greatest reward. The sweetest moments come when you realize that you have attained the final goal because of everything you have experienced.

You look back on the mistakes, the challenges, and everything you had to endure—but you also celebrate the fact that you faced your problems head-on. Your journey through life is what makes you human.

In this article, we share with you a list of quotes about how life is a journey . We hope that, through these words, you’ll be able to enjoy everything that life has to offer. Even more so, we hope that they will inspire you to live a more meaningful and happier life .

But before we check out our list, let’s discuss how reading these quotes can get you motivated.

Table of Contents

Why Read Quotes About How Life Is a Journey?

Reading these quotes can inspire you to live a better and more fulfilling life.

They are, after all, from people who have found their journeys through life enjoyable and gratifying. There’s no better way to motivate yourself than to get inspiration from people who have already lived wonderful lives.

In the same vein, these quotes can help you appreciate the gift of life. They help you realize that you only live once, so you must relish the moments you have been given.

Finally, reading these quotes can encourage you to share your life with others. You will realize that, in order to be able to live your life to the fullest, you need someone to share both your joys and sorrows with. You require companions to fully live in the moment .

Now that you know why it’s important to read journey quotes, let us check out our list!

Meaningful Life is a Journey Quotes

• “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But by all means, keep moving.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
• “Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
• “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.” – Tony Robbins
• “The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but significance, and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning.” – Oprah Winfrey
• “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
• “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” – Heraclitus
• “Not I, nor anyone else can travel that road for you. You must travel it by yourself. It is not far. It is within reach. Perhaps you have been on it since you were born, and did not know. Perhaps it is everywhere – on water and land.” – Walt Whitman
• “The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between, and they took great pleasure in doing just that.” – Norton Juster
• “The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday.” – Steve Maraboli

• “Some beautiful paths can't be discovered without getting lost.” – Erol Ozan
• “For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.” – Michelle Obama
• “I am no longer afraid of becoming lost because the journey back always reveals something new, and that is ultimately good for the artist.” – Billy Joel
• “Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” – Pat Conroy
• “Never stop just because you feel defeated. The journey to the other side is attainable only after great suffering.” – Santosh Kalwar
• “There is a strange comfort in knowing that no matter what happens today, the Sun will rise again tomorrow.” – Aaron Lauritsen
• “Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination.” – Drake
• “ Transformation is a process , and as life happens there are tons of ups and downs. It’s a journey of discovery – there are moments on mountaintops and moments in deep valleys of despair.” – Rick Warren
• “The journey is never-ending. There’s always gonna be growth, improvement, and adversity; you just gotta take it all in and do what’s right, continue to grow, continue to live in the moment.” – Antonio Brown
• “Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” – Greg Anderson
• “On your journey, don’t forget to smell the flowers. Take time out to notice that you are alive. You can only live one day.” – Ray Fearon

• “If my ship sails from sight, it doesn’t mean my journey ends. It simply means the river bends.” – Enoch Powell
• “It’s not an easy journey, to get to a place where you forgive people. But it is such a powerful place because it frees you.” – Tyler Perry
• “Aim for the sky, but move slowly, enjoying every step along the way. It is all those little steps that make the journey complete.” – Chanda Kochhar
• “Sometimes we make the process more complicated than we need to. We will never make a journey of a thousand miles by fretting about how long it will take or how hard it will be. We make the journey by taking each day step by step and then repeating it again and again until we reach our destination.” – Joseph B. Wirthlin
• “Your journey never ends. Life has a way of changing things in incredible ways.” – Alexander Volkov
• “Each one of us has our own evolution of life, and each one of us goes through different tests which are unique and challenging. But certain things are common. And we do learn things from each other's experiences. On a spiritual journey, we all have the same destination.” – A. R. Rahman
• “Going by my past journey, I am not certain where life will take me, what turns and twists will happen; nobody knows where they will end up. As life changes direction, I'll flow with it.” – Katrina Kaif
• “Enjoy the journey and try to get better every day. And don't lose the passion and the love for what you do.” – Nadia Comaneci

• “But it's a journey and the sad thing is you only learn from experience, so as much as someone can tell you things, you have to go out there and make your own mistakes in order to learn.” – Emma Watson
• “The seeker embarks on a journey to find what he wants and discovers, along the way, what he needs.” – Wally Lamb
• “Life is a journey that must be traveled no matter how bad the roads and accommodations.” – Oliver Goldsmith
• “The Sun will rise and set regardless. What we choose to do with the light while it's here is up to us. Journey wisely.” – Alexandra Elle
• “We may run, walk, stumble. drive, or fly, but let us never lose sight of the reason for the journey, or miss a chance to see a rainbow on the way.” – Gloria Gaither
• “Whole life is a search for beauty. But, when the beauty is found inside, the search ends and a beautiful journey begins.” – Harshit Walia
• “Not everyone will understand your journey. That's okay. You're here to live your life, not to make everyone understand .” – Banksy
• “I believe that life is a journey, often difficult and sometimes incredibly cruel, but we are well equipped for it if only we tap into our talents and gifts and allow them to blossom.” – Les Brown
• “It was being a runner that mattered, not how fast or how far I could run. The joy was in the act of running and in the journey, not in the destination.” – John Bingham
• “As you journey down the path, don't forget to be present moment-by-moment and absorb the beauty and richness of simply being alive.” – Cary David Richards
• “If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey, most of us would never start out at all.” – Dan Rather

• “Life is a journey of either Fate or Destiny. Fate is the result of giving in to one's wounds and heartaches. Your Destiny unfolds when you rise above the challenges of your life and use them as Divine opportunities to move forward to unlock your higher potential.” – Caroline Myss
• “I know it can be tough to imagine how to get from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow. But I’m here to tell you that change is possible if you enter into this journey with your eyes wide open, and with real intention.” – David Hauser
• “Part of the challenge that comes with striving for success is how the entire journey comes with its own fair share of failures and disappointments.” – Rupert Johnson
• “The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at this moment. That's all there ever is.” – Alan Watts
• “Life is a journey and it's about growing and changing and coming to terms with who and what you are and loving who and what you are.” – Kelly McGillis
• “Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived.” – Captain Jean-Luc Picard
• “I just constantly tell myself that I should be the only one to define my worth and what I'm capable of and how I perceive myself. And that I should never source that worth from other people, especially strangers on social media. They don't know who I am, the length of my journey, who I am as a person.” – Catriona Gray
• “ You have learned a lot, but there are still lots of learning for you as you journey through life. Never stop learning.” – Kate Summers

• “One of the most important things that I have learned in my 57 years is that life is all about choices. On every journey you take, you face choices. At every fork in the road, you make a choice. And it is those decisions that shape our lives.” – Mike DeWine
• “I'm different than most people. When I cross the finish line of a big race, I see that people are ecstatic, but I'm thinking about what I'm going to do tomorrow. It's as if my journey is everlasting, and there is no finish line.” – David Goggins
• “The journey matters as much as the destination. By engaging at the moment on set, I've stopped rushing and now find pleasure in the collaborative process – the characters, the costumes – rather than worrying about the finished product.” – Michelle Dockery
• “It's a life's journey of finding ourselves, finding our power, and living for yourself, not for everyone else.” – Mariska Hargitay

Final Thoughts on Life & Journey

Life is a journey, and we all take different paths.

There are those who take the road less traveled and enjoy unique accomplishments, while others go with the crowd but still end up loving the lives they’ve chosen as well. Regardless of our choices, we will all have the potential to become successful in the ways we personally define success.

We hope that these quotes inspired you to enjoy your life’s journey and make it more meaningful. Enjoy the moment and live happy!

And if you want more inspirational quotes, be sure to check out these blog posts:

• 63 Inspiring Walt Whitman Quotes About Life
• 51 Do What Makes You Happy Quotes for 2023
• 107 Quotes About Overcoming Adversity and Challenges in Your Life

Finally, if you want to use these quotes to make a lasting change to your life, then check out and recite these 57 affirmations for success .

The Chosen One Spiritual Meaning: Fulfilling Your Purpose

Have you ever felt like you were destined for something greater? That there was a special purpose you were meant to fulfill in this lifetime? If so, you may have stumbled upon the concept of being “the chosen one.” This idea has captivated people for centuries, appearing in various forms across different cultures and spiritual traditions. In this article, we’ll dive deep into the spiritual meaning behind being the chosen one and explore how this concept can inspire and empower you on your own journey.

Here’s a quick interpretation:

Being the chosen one spiritually means being selected by a higher power for a unique purpose. It involves possessing specific gifts, facing challenges that test faith, and ultimately fulfilling a destiny that serves others. The chosen one’s journey is a path of self-discovery, transformation, and making a positive impact on the world.

What Does It Mean to Be the Chosen One?

At its core, being the chosen one means that you have been singled out by a higher power or divine force for a specific purpose. This purpose could be anything from leading a spiritual revolution to simply spreading more love and kindness in the world. The key is that it’s a calling that comes from beyond yourself, a destiny that you were born to fulfill.

Signs That You May Be the Chosen One

So how do you know if you’re the chosen one? While there’s no definitive checklist, there are certain signs and experiences that many chosen ones report having. These may include:

• Feeling a strong sense of purpose or mission in life
• Experiencing synchronicities or meaningful coincidences that guide your path
• Having vivid dreams or visions related to your calling
• Possessing unique gifts or talents that set you apart from others
• Facing significant challenges or obstacles that test your faith and resilience

If any of these resonate with you, it’s possible that you may be the chosen one in your own unique way.

The Hero’s Journey: A Template for the Chosen One

One helpful framework for understanding the chosen one’s path is the hero’s journey, a common storytelling structure that appears in myths and legends across cultures. The hero’s journey typically involves the following stages:

• The Call to Adventure: The hero (or chosen one) receives a call to embark on a quest or mission.
• Refusal of the Call: The hero initially resists or denies the call out of fear or uncertainty.
• Supernatural Aid: The hero receives guidance or assistance from a mentor or divine figure.
• Crossing the Threshold: The hero commits to the journey and crosses into unknown territory.
• Trials and Challenges: The hero faces various obstacles and tests that help them grow and develop.
• Revelation and Transformation: The hero undergoes a profound inner transformation and gains new insights or abilities.
• The Return: The hero returns to their ordinary world, forever changed by their experience.

By understanding these stages, you can gain clarity on where you are in your own journey as a chosen one.

Embracing Your Role as the Chosen One

If you feel called to be the chosen one, know that this is a powerful and sacred role. It’s not about ego or superiority, but rather about humbly serving a greater purpose. Here are some tips for embracing your role:

• Trust your intuition and inner guidance, even when others doubt you
• Surround yourself with supportive people who believe in your mission
• Practice self-care and maintain a strong connection to your spiritual practice
• Stay open to signs and synchronicities that may guide your path
• Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and transformation
• Remember that being the chosen one is ultimately about serving others and making a positive impact on the world

The Chosen One Within: A Path for Everyone

While the concept of the chosen one may seem grand and lofty, the truth is that we all have the potential to be chosen ones in our own unique ways. We each have a special purpose and set of gifts to offer the world. By tapping into our own inner wisdom and following our hearts, we can all step into our roles as chosen ones and make a difference in the lives of those around us.

So whether you feel called to be a spiritual leader, a healer, an artist, or simply a beacon of love and light, know that you have the power within you to fulfill your destiny. Trust the journey, stay true to yourself, and remember that you were chosen for a reason. The world needs your unique gifts and perspective, and by embracing your role as the chosen one, you can help create a brighter, more beautiful future for us all.

1. What are the signs that you may be the chosen one spiritually?

Common signs include feeling a strong sense of purpose, experiencing synchronicities, having vivid dreams related to your calling, possessing unique gifts, and facing significant challenges that test your faith.

2. How can you discover your unique purpose as the chosen one?

To discover your purpose, trust your intuition, pay attention to signs and synchronicities, explore your passions and talents, and seek guidance from spiritual mentors or practices like meditation and prayer.

3. What challenges do chosen ones typically face on their journey?

Chosen ones often face obstacles such as self-doubt, resistance from others, feelings of isolation, and tests of faith. These challenges are meant to strengthen and prepare them for their ultimate purpose.

4. How can you maintain faith in your role as the chosen one?

Maintain faith by surrounding yourself with supportive people, practicing self-care and spiritual disciplines, staying open to divine guidance, and focusing on the positive impact you can make in the world.

5. Can anyone be a chosen one, or is it a special designation?

While the term “chosen one” may imply exclusivity, the truth is that everyone has the potential to be a chosen one in their own unique way by discovering and fulfilling their specific purpose in life.

Sophia Rose is a spiritual blogger enthralled by the mysticism of New Orleans. She aims to uncover symbolic meanings and share her learnings from a life spent exploring the spiritual realm.

Similar Posts

Black bee spiritual meaning: unveiling the mystical symbolism.

Have you ever encountered a black bee and wondered about its spiritual significance? These enigmatic creatures have captivated the hearts and minds of people across various cultures and traditions. In this article, we’ll delve into the mystical symbolism of black bees and explore how their presence can offer guidance and insight into your spiritual journey….

Yellow Butterfly Spiritual Meaning and Symbolism

Have you ever noticed a bright yellow butterfly fluttering by? These beautiful creatures have captivated people’s attention and imagination for ages. Beyond their visual appeal, yellow butterflies hold deep spiritual symbolism across cultures and faiths. When a yellow butterfly crosses your path, it likely carries an uplifting message for you. Learning more about the various…

Spiritual Meaning of Bats Outside Your House

Have you ever found yourself startled by the sudden appearance of bats flying around your house at night? While these nocturnal creatures may seem eerie or even frightening, their presence could hold a deeper spiritual significance. In this article, we’ll explore the mystical and symbolic meanings behind encountering bats near your home. Here’s a quick…

Red Ladybug Spiritual Meaning: A Guide to Luck & Growth

Have you ever noticed a vibrant red ladybug landing on your shoulder or fluttering by your window? These charming little creatures are more than just a pretty sight; they carry profound spiritual significance that can offer guidance and insight into your life journey. In this article, we’ll explore the captivating world of red ladybug symbolism…

Spiritual Meaning of Teeth: Your Mouth’s Hidden Messages

Have you ever wondered if there’s more to your pearly whites than just a charming smile? Believe it or not, your teeth hold deep spiritual significance that can reveal hidden truths about your life journey. In this article, we’ll dive into the mystical world of dental symbolism and explore the profound messages your teeth may…

The Spiritual Meaning of Broken Eggs

As you navigate through life’s journey, you may encounter various symbols and signs that hold deeper spiritual meanings. One such symbol that often goes unnoticed is the broken egg. While it may seem like a mere accident or inconvenience, a broken egg can actually carry profound spiritual messages that can guide you on your path…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Synonyms of continue

• as in to remain
• as in to resume
• More from M-W
• To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In

Thesaurus Definition of continue

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stick around
• carry through

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discontinue
• proceed (with)
• resuscitate

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb continue differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of continue are abide , endure , last , and persist . While all these words mean "to exist over a period of time or indefinitely," continue applies to a process going on without ending.

When might abide be a better fit than continue ?

While the synonyms abide and continue are close in meaning, abide implies stable and constant existing especially as opposed to mutability.

When could endure be used to replace continue ?

Although the words endure and continue have much in common, endure adds an implication of resisting destructive forces or agencies.

When is it sensible to use last instead of continue ?

The words last and continue can be used in similar contexts, but last , especially when unqualified, may stress existing beyond what is normal or expected.

In what contexts can persist take the place of continue ?

The synonyms persist and continue are sometimes interchangeable, but persist suggests outlasting the normal or appointed time and often connotes obstinacy or doggedness.

Thesaurus Entries Near continue

continuations

Cite this Entry

“Continue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/continue. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on continue

Nglish: Translation of continue for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of continue for Arabic Speakers

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

More commonly misspelled words, commonly misspelled words, how to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), absent letters that are heard anyway, how to use accents and diacritical marks, popular in wordplay, the words of the week - apr. 26, 9 superb owl words, 'gaslighting,' 'woke,' 'democracy,' and other top lookups, 10 words for lesser-known games and sports, your favorite band is in the dictionary, games & quizzes.

Example sentences continue a journey

The driver was quizzed but allowed to continue his journey .

Thousands of earlier arrivals are still waiting in the camps for permission to continue their journey .

I find plenty to interest me before ambling back to the station to continue my journey in a generally northwesterly direction.

Officers warned him it was illegal to walk on the motorway and drove him to a safe location to continue his journey .

I will return to opera and continue that journey .

Definition of 'continue' continue

Definition of 'journey' journey

Related word partners continue a journey

Browse alphabetically continue a journey.

• continue a debate
• continue a dialogue
• continue a discussion
• continue a journey
• continue a legacy
• continue a pregnancy
• continue a search
• All ENGLISH words that begin with 'C'

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Score: 0 / 5

Wordle Helper

Scrabble Tools

• Dictionaries home
• American English
• Collocations
• German-English
• Grammar home
• Practical English Usage
• Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
• Word Lists home
• My Word Lists
• Recent additions
• Resources home
• Text Checker

Definition of journey noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• They went on a long train journey across India.
• to begin/continue/complete a journey
• Many refugees made the journey alone.
• Did you have a good journey?
• the outward/return journey
• We broke our journey (= stopped for a short time) in Madrid.
• (British English) Don't use the car for short journeys.
• It's a day's journey by car.
• The average journey time is about 50 minutes.
• on a journey She took her sister with her to keep her company on the journey.
• journey from… Devizes is a two-hour journey from London.
• journey to… It is unclear why he embarked on his final journey to Vienna.
• (British English) I'm afraid you've had a wasted journey (= you cannot do what you have come to do) .
• (informal) Bye! Safe journey! (= used when somebody is beginning a journey)
• a business trip
• a five-minute trip by taxi
• a long and difficult journey across the mountains
• a tour of Bavaria
• the first expedition to the South Pole
• We went on an all-day excursion to the island.
• The children were on a day’s outing from school.
• We had a day out at the beach.
• a(n) foreign/​overseas trip/​journey/​tour/​expedition
• a bus/​coach/​train/​rail trip/​journey/​tour
• to go on a(n) trip/​journey/​tour/​expedition/​excursion/​outing/​day out
• to set out/​off on a(n) trip/​journey/​tour/​expedition/​excursion
• to make a(n) trip/​journey/​tour/​expedition/​excursion
• destination
• measures to cut the number of car journeys into the city
• He is planning a journey through Europe this summer.
• People were crammed onto ships for the dangerous journey across the Atlantic.
• Dawn was breaking as we set out on the last leg of our journey.
• Few people have made this journey and lived to tell the tale.
• He made the emotional journey back to the house he grew up in.
• He wrote a column chronicling his journeys around the Americas.
• Her search took her on an incredible journey across the world.
• The bus driver told us where to change buses for our onward journey.
• The bus journey from London to Athens took 60 hours.
• The journey continued in silence.
• The journey takes about five hours.
• They continued their journey on foot.
• They doubted that he would survive the journey to the nearest hospital.
• They were on a journey to the Far East.
• This is the story of the first astronauts and their journey into the unknown.
• take (somebody)
• be tired after a journey
• be tired from a journey
• a leg of a journey

Take your English to the next level

The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app

Institutional account management

Sign in as administrator on Oxford Academic

journey noun

• Hide all quotations

What does the noun journey mean?

There are 24 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun journey , 13 of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

journey has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

How common is the noun journey ?

How is the noun journey pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the noun journey come from.

Earliest known use

Middle English

The earliest known use of the noun journey is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).

journey is a borrowing from French.

Etymons: French jornee , journee .

Nearby entries

• journalism, n. 1833–
• journalist, n. 1693–
• journalistic, adj. & n. 1829–
• journalistically, adv. 1870–
• journalizable, adj. 1858–
• journalize, v. 1766–
• journalizer, n. 1837–
• journal-letter, n. 1756–
• journally, adv. 1554–92
• journ-chopper, n. 1883–
• journey, n. ?c1225–
• journey, v. c1330–
• journey-bated, adj. 1598
• journey-book, n. 1610–
• journey cake, n. 1754–
• journeyed, adj. 1553–
• journeyer, n. 1566–
• journeying, n. c1330–
• journeyman, n. 1463–
• journey-money, n. 1883–
• journey-pride, n. 1938–

Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary

To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.

Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for journey, n..

journey, n. was first published in 1901; not yet revised.

journey, n. was last modified in December 2023.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

• corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into journey, n. in December 2023.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1901)

• Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

• View journey, n. in OED Second Edition

Please submit your feedback for journey, n.

Please include your email address if you are happy to be contacted about your feedback. OUP will not use this email address for any other purpose.

Citation details

Factsheet for journey, n., browse entry.

Watch CBS News

What is cloud seeding and did it play any role in the Dubai floods?

By Li Cohen , Tracy J. Wholf

Updated on: April 18, 2024 / 8:46 PM EDT / CBS News

Stranded airline passengers and a cat submerged in floodwaters clinging to a car door handle became notable moments this week in Dubai as the normally arid city was inundated with historic levels of rain. Claims have gone viral that the deluge was brought on by cloud seeding, a technique that aims to increase precipitation, that is heavily utilized in the United Arab Emirates. 

But is it really to blame? 

Daniel Swain , a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that getting to the bottom of the "record-shattering extreme rainfall" requires breaking down the science behind the event and the technique. 

"There's currently a disconnect in the online discourse between the kind of human activities that likely did affect it (greenhouse warming) versus those which have actually been the focus of the online conversation thus far (cloud seeding), and what this means for how we collectively understand our ability to actively affect the weather on different spatial and temporal scales," he said in an emailed statement. 

What is cloud seeding? 

Many have questioned since the downpour in Dubai whether cloud seeding was to blame. But what is cloud seeding and how does it work exactly?

Cloud seeding is a technique used to improve precipitation. According to the Desert Research Institute, scientists do this by putting tiny particles called nuclei into the atmosphere that attach to clouds.

"These nuclei provide a base for snowflakes to form. After cloud seeding takes place, the newly formed snowflakes quickly grow and fall from the clouds back to the surface of the Earth, increasing snowpack and streamflow," the institute says. 

In the Middle East, instead of precipitation in the form of snow, its cloud seeding program generates increased rain. 

Scientists typically go about cloud seeding in two ways – using either generators on the ground or distributing the nuclei via aircraft. 

What caused the rain in Dubai? 

But was the rain in Dubai from cloud seeding? 

"Did cloud seeding play a role? Likely no," Swain said. "But how about climate change? Likely yes!" 

The world is continuing to see month after month of record-breaking heat and 2023 was the hottest year globally ever recorded. Scientists have found that warmer temperatures increase evaporation, resulting in more frequent and intense storms, such as the one that occurred in Dubai. Those conditions also fuel other extreme weather events, including droughts , putting opposing forces at intense odds that will likely strain communities without adequate adaptation. 

Andrew Kruczkiewicz, senior researcher at Columbia Climate School, told CBS News he doesn't believe there's any current evidence at this time that cloud seeding pushed the downpour over the edge. 

"This event was forecast fairly well days in advance and I think it's unlikely that a cloud seeding operation would move forward given the well-forecast intense rainfall," he said.

The nation's  National Emergency Crisis and Management Authority issued weather warnings on Monday before the storm's arrival, urging people to comply with local instructions from authorities and asking them to stay at home and only leave in the case of an emergency. 

Meteorologist Ryan Maue, former chief scientist at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, gave the Associated Press a more definitive answer: "It's most certainly not cloud seeding." 

"If that occurred with cloud seeding , they'd have water all the time," he said. "...when it comes to controlling individual rain storms, we are not anywhere close to that. And if we were capable of doing that, I think we would be capable of solving many more difficult problems than creating a rain shower over Dubai ."

The deluge, he said, "speaks more to questions around what are the resilience measures that are integrated into the urban planning standard operating procedures." 

"Almost everywhere on Earth there is a risk of flash flooding," he said. "Yet, since it's not the most frequent type of extreme event, sometimes it's lower on the priority list when decisions need to be made around infrastructure or resilience, or just urban development more broadly."  

How significant was the flooding in Dubai?  

More than 5.59 inches of rain fell over Dubai within 24 hours. While a half-foot of rain may not seem like much numerically, that's more than what the city sees in an average year, and other parts of the UAE saw even higher levels. 

It was a "historic weather event," the state-run WAM news agency said, adding that it was beyond "anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949." 

Dubai is normally dry and with a downpour like this being so unprecedented, the city's infrastructure was not prepared. The drainage systems were overwhelmed and Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest in the world, had to temporarily halt operations. One plane passenger told Reuters many people were waiting more than 12 hours to be able to resume travel. Footage from the airport shows planes taxiing in eerie floodwaters. 

"Over a year's worth of rainfall was experienced in just a few hours," Kruczkiewicz told CBS News. "And why that's important to to understand is that when you see this amount of rainfall in semi-arid arid area, the soil isn't designed to filter the water as fast as in other areas. ... You don't need that much water falling or rainfall falling in a short period of time to cause major issues." 

Is cloud seeding effective? 

According to the Desert Research Institute, how effective cloud seeding is depends on the specific project in which it's being used. Citing several studies, the institute said it's helped increase overall snowpack in some areas by at least 10% per year. Another study found that a five-year project in New South Wales, Australia resulted in a 14% snowfall increase.  

The UAE's National Center of Meteorology launched the Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science to advance the technology, saying that for dryer regions across the world, cloud seeding "could offer a viable, cost-effective supplement to existing water supplies." Many regions even beyond the Middle East have been suffering from water scarcity issues, including Colombia , Mexico and Hawaii . 

• Science of Weather
• United Arab Emirates
• Climate Change
• Severe Weather

Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.

More from CBS News

Flooding in Tanzania and Kenya kills hundreds as heavy rains continue

Why Swifties have descended upon a small pub in London

EPA issues toughest rule yet on power plant emissions

U.K. man charged with "Russia-backed arson" attack in London

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Voyager 1 transmitting data again after Nasa remotely fixes 46-year-old probe

Engineers spent months working to repair link with Earth’s most distant spacecraft, says space agency

Earth’s most distant spacecraft, Voyager 1, has started communicating properly again with Nasa after engineers worked for months to remotely fix the 46-year-old probe.

Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which makes and operates the agency’s robotic spacecraft, said in December that the probe – more than 15bn miles (24bn kilometres) away – was sending gibberish code back to Earth.

In an update released on Monday , JPL announced the mission team had managed “after some inventive sleuthing” to receive usable data about the health and status of Voyager 1’s engineering systems. “The next step is to enable the spacecraft to begin returning science data again,” JPL said. Despite the fault, Voyager 1 had operated normally throughout, it added.

Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 was designed with the primary goal of conducting close-up studies of Jupiter and Saturn in a five-year mission. However, its journey continued and the spacecraft is now approaching a half-century in operation.

Voyager 1 crossed into interstellar space in August 2012, making it the first human-made object to venture out of the solar system. It is currently travelling at 37,800mph (60,821km/h).

Hi, it's me. - V1 https://t.co/jgGFBfxIOe — NASA Voyager (@NASAVoyager) April 22, 2024

The recent problem was related to one of the spacecraft’s three onboard computers, which are responsible for packaging the science and engineering data before it is sent to Earth. Unable to repair a broken chip, the JPL team decided to move the corrupted code elsewhere, a tricky job considering the old technology.

The computers on Voyager 1 and its sister probe, Voyager 2, have less than 70 kilobytes of memory in total – the equivalent of a low-resolution computer image. They use old-fashioned digital tape to record data.

The fix was transmitted from Earth on 18 April but it took two days to assess if it had been successful as a radio signal takes about 22 and a half hours to reach Voyager 1 and another 22 and a half hours for a response to come back to Earth. “When the mission flight team heard back from the spacecraft on 20 April, they saw that the modification worked,” JPL said.

Alongside its announcement, JPL posted a photo of members of the Voyager flight team cheering and clapping in a conference room after receiving usable data again, with laptops, notebooks and doughnuts on the table in front of them.

The Retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who flew two space shuttle missions and acted as commander of the International Space Station, compared the JPL mission to long-distance maintenance on a vintage car.

“Imagine a computer chip fails in your 1977 vehicle. Now imagine it’s in interstellar space, 15bn miles away,” Hadfield wrote on X . “Nasa’s Voyager probe just got fixed by this team of brilliant software mechanics.

Voyager 1 and 2 have made numerous scientific discoveries , including taking detailed recordings of Saturn and revealing that Jupiter also has rings, as well as active volcanism on one of its moons, Io. The probes later discovered 23 new moons around the outer planets.

As their trajectory takes them so far from the sun, the Voyager probes are unable to use solar panels, instead converting the heat produced from the natural radioactive decay of plutonium into electricity to power the spacecraft’s systems.

Nasa hopes to continue to collect data from the two Voyager spacecraft for several more years but engineers expect the probes will be too far out of range to communicate in about a decade, depending on how much power they can generate. Voyager 2 is slightly behind its twin and is moving slightly slower.

In roughly 40,000 years, the probes will pass relatively close, in astronomical terms, to two stars. Voyager 1 will come within 1.7 light years of a star in the constellation Ursa Minor, while Voyager 2 will come within a similar distance of a star called Ross 248 in the constellation of Andromeda.

More on this story

Cosmic cleaners: the scientists scouring English cathedral roofs for space dust

Russia acknowledges continuing air leak from its segment of space station

Uncontrolled European satellite falls to Earth after 30 years in orbit

Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko sets world record for most time spent in space

‘Old smokers’: astronomers discover giant ancient stars in Milky Way

Nasa postpones plans to send humans to moon

What happened to the Peregrine lander and what does it mean for moon missions?

Peregrine 1 has ‘no chance’ of landing on moon due to fuel leak

Most viewed.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

TED Radio Hour

• Subscribe to NPR's Up First Email

So Awkward: Embracing life's embarrassing moments

Forgetting a name, a poorly executed hug, the 7th grade — awkwardness is part of our lives whether we like it or not. But what if we put the embarrassment aside and embraced our awkward selves?

Why the world needs socially awkward people

by  Manoush Zomorodi ,  James Delahoussaye ,  Sanaz Meshkinpour

A cartoonist's guide to navigating 'normal'

by  Manoush Zomorodi ,  Katie Monteleone ,  Fiona Geiran ,  Sanaz Meshkinpour

Stop judging yourself and embrace your cringe

by  Manoush Zomorodi ,  Matthew Cloutier ,  Sanaz Meshkinpour

Sex ed is awkward. But it doesn't have to be

by  Manoush Zomorodi ,  Harsha Nahata ,  Sanaz Meshkinpour

• See TED Radio Hour sponsors and promo codes

Screen Rant

Star trek is officially redefining what "where no one has gone before" actually means.

The phrase "where no one has gone before" has been a rallying cry for Star Trek fans for years, and now it has taken on an awesome new meaning.

• The iconic catchphrase "where no one has gone before" gets an epic new meaning in Star Trek #19, by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly and Megan Levens.
• Captain Sisko and his crew are heading into the Pleroma, Star Trek's newly revealed "realm of the gods," prompting Doctor Crusher to call it "where no one has gone before."
• One of Star Trek's key tenets is that humanity can evolve and transcend, and the journey to the Pleroma is the first step in this quest.

For generations of Star Trek fans, the catchphrase “where no one has gone before” has been an iconic call to adventure, but now it has taken on a whole new meaning. In Star Trek #19, the crew of the Theseus is heading to the Pleroma, a mysterious new realm that promises great adventure–and great peril. As they prepare for the hazardous journey, the franchise’s catchphrase takes on new layers.

Star Trek #19 is written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Megan Levens. T’Lir, the enigmatic Vulcan, has been revealed to be the last of the Organians and has charged Sisko and company with a new mission: travel to the Pleroma and help fix the damage Kahless has caused. Sisko is wary of the Pleroma, having been forbidden to travel there by the Prophets.

He discusses the impending journey with Doctor Crusher, and she refers to the Pleroma as “where no one has gone before.”

For Over 60 Years, Star Trek's Opening Monologue Has Perfectly Set the Show's Tone

It has undergone several changes over the years.

The catchphrase “where no one has gone before” is one of the most memorable in pop culture. Part of a larger opening monologue, the phrase has undergone a few alterations. When Star Trek premiered in 1966, the line read: “where no man has gone before.” When Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted in 1987, it was updated to the much better and more inclusive “where no one has gone before.” This has since become, with a few exceptions, the standard across the franchise, still recited in both the Abrams Kelvin-timeline movies and Strange New Worlds.

In the pilot episode of Star Trek: Enterprise , it was revealed Zefram Cochrane coined the phrase "where no man has gone before."

Star Trek is a story of exploration and discovery, and this catchphrase perfectly sums up this philosophy. Every week, the crews of the various Star Trek shows encounter bizarre alien life forms and awe-inspiring stellar phenomena. Ships like the Enterprise, Voyager or Discovery expanded the frontiers of knowledge while keeping the galaxy safe. Star Trek’s opening monologs set the tone perfectly for the incredible stories that follow. Now, on the eve of one of the biggest discoveries in galactic history, it is taking on a new meaning.

Star Trek Already Confirmed Its Real Final Frontier (& It's Not Space)

Star trek is about more than just exploring space--it's about exploring the human heart too, the pleroma may hold the key to humanity's evolution.

Yet, Star Trek is more than just stories of the exploration of space, but also expanding the potential of humanity . In addition to featuring a future where strife and war have been eliminated, the franchise has shown humanity has great potential, something Q alluded to in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “All Good Things.” Humanity will one day be like gods, and the Theseus’ journey to the Pleroma is the first step along the way. The Pleroma opens new possibilities in the Star Trek franchise, giving new meaning to “where no one has gone before.”

Star Trek #19 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!

bottom_desktop desktop:[300x250]

Advertisement

Supported by

U.S. Growth Slowed in First Quarter, but Inflation Remained a Bug

Gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation, increased at a 1.6 percent annual rate in the first three months of the year.

• Share full article

domestic product

Quarterly change at

annual rates,

adjusted for inflation

Real gross domestic product

Quarterly change at annual rates, adjusted for inflation

By Ben Casselman

The U.S. economy remained resilient early this year, with a strong job market fueling robust consumer spending. The trouble is that inflation was resilient, too.

Gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation, increased at a 1.6 percent annual rate in the first three months of the year, the Commerce Department said on Thursday . That was down sharply from the 3.4 percent growth rate at the end of 2023 and fell well short of forecasters’ expectations.

Economists were largely unconcerned by the slowdown, which stemmed mostly from big shifts in business inventories and international trade, components that often swing wildly from one quarter to the next. Measures of underlying demand were significantly stronger, offering no hint of the recession that forecasters spent much of last year warning was on the way.

“It would suggest some moderation in growth but still a solid economy,” said Michael Gapen, chief U.S. economist at Bank of America. He said the report contained “few signs of weakness overall.”

But the solid growth figures were accompanied by an unexpectedly rapid acceleration in inflation. Consumer prices rose at a 3.4 percent annual rate in the first quarter, up from 1.8 percent in the final quarter of last year. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, prices rose at a 3.7 percent annual rate.

Taken together, the first-quarter data was the latest evidence that the Federal Reserve’s efforts to tame inflation have stalled — and that the celebration in financial markets over an apparent “soft landing” or gentle slowdown for the economy had been premature.

“It increases the chances of a harder landing,” said Constance L. Hunter, an economist at MacroPolicy Perspectives, a forecasting firm. “The inflation data was the surprise.”

At a minimum, stubborn inflation is likely to mean that the Fed will wait at least until fall to begin cutting interest rates. Some forecasters think it is possible that policymakers won’t just keep rates “higher for longer,” as investors have been anticipating for several weeks now, but might actually raise them further.

“It is a huge shift because all of a sudden ‘higher for longer’ could mean another hike,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG. For now, she said, the Fed is stuck in “monetary policy purgatory.”

Financial markets fell on the news. The S&P 500 index ended the day down about half a percentage point, and yields on government bonds rose as investors anticipated that borrowing costs will remain high.

Investors aren’t the only ones who could suffer if interest rates remain high. There are mounting signs that high borrowing costs are weighing on Americans’ financial well-being. Consumers saved just 3.6 percent of their after-tax income in the first quarter, down from 4 percent at the end of last year and more than 5 percent before the pandemic.

The signs of strain are particularly acute for lower-income households. They have increasingly turned to credit cards to afford their spending, and with interest rates high, more of them are falling behind on their payments.

“There is a sense that lower-end households are increasingly stretched right now,” said Andrew Husby, senior U.S. economist at BNP Paribas.

Yet despite those strains, consumer spending, in the aggregate, shows little sign of cooling down. Spending rose at a 2.5 percent annual rate in the first quarter, only modestly slower than in late 2023, and spending on services like travel and entertainment actually accelerated.

Spending has been driven particularly by wealthier consumers, whose low debt and fixed-rate mortgages have insulated them from the effects of higher interest rates, and who have benefited from a stock market that was until recently setting records.

“Higher income households feel very flush,” said Brian Rose, senior economist at UBS. “They’ve seen such a huge run-up in the value of their house and the value of their portfolios that they feel like they can keep spending.”

That presents a conundrum for the policymakers at the Fed: Their main tool for fighting inflation, high rates, is doing little to tamp down spending by the wealthy while hurting poorer households. And yet if they cut those rates, inflation could accelerate again.

Even so, forecasters said the overall economic picture remains surprisingly rosy, especially when compared with the glum predictions of a year ago. Unemployment has remained low, job growth has stayed strong and wages have continued to rise, all of which helped after-tax income to outpace inflation in the first quarter.

Businesses stepped up their investment in equipment and software in the first quarter, a vote of confidence in the economy. The housing market also rebounded, although that was due partly to a dip in mortgage rates that has since reversed.

Even one of the drags on growth in the first quarter — a swelling trade deficit — mostly reflected demand from the United States. Imports rose as Americans bought more goods from overseas, while exports rose more modestly.

Ben Casselman writes about economics with a particular focus on stories involving data. He has covered the economy for nearly 20 years, and his recent work has focused on how trends in labor, politics, technology and demographics have shaped the way we live and work. More about Ben Casselman