Seen at itsnature.org
Me and Melissa had a very short discussion yesterday about the new program NASA is working on to get to Mars. She feels it is a big waste of money, which is certainly valid since we have no idea what we would discover or the implications thereof. However, I feel that space exploration is not only important but necessary if we as a species wish to continue our survival. After all, the planet and our star cannot and will not last forever and if we hope to have any chance of survival after they are gone then we must know the what and how of leaving our planet.
But then Melissa (and a well-timed History Channel show) really got me thinking about Space vs. Deep Sea exploration. Space exploration is a very costly endeavor, no one will deny this. But the $18 billion set aside for 2009 is nothing compared to the $680 Billion Defense Budget (I would be very curious to know the US budget for Sea Floor exploration). Up until recently it was seen as "money well spent". That is until the country wide belt-tightening to try and abate the financial crisis. This is a question for another time and place but what is more important... health care or knowledge? That being said, we know more about our moon and stars than about the depths of our own planet. We search for extra-terrestrial life but have yet to identify countless species on our own planet. While Deep-Sea exploration is by no means less-expensive it seems a shame that we know so much about the moon, when 95% of our oceans have yet to be explored. Who knows the mysteries that the deep will hold. Maybe bio-luminescence could help us do many things, from lighted trees that line the highway to Christmas trees that no longer need lights. Even the study of deep sea creatures who withstand pressure that no human could endure could help to advance the Space program with lighter and most importantly stronger and safer materials. Who is to say the cure for cancer isn't down there somewhere...
Seen on Eurekalert.com
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