The stars, space, and the rest of the universe are fascinating. There are millions of colors, hidden enclaves, perhaps beings, perhaps wormholes. It's mysterious, yet astounding. It's incredible.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Beyond Earth

It's a harsh truth. It's one many of us try to avoid; we hide from it in the shadows - or perhaps it's in the light. But it's ever present, and ever growing.

We are using up the Earth.

Resources are dwindling, disasters are rising. The population is growing, and issues - like the warming of the planet, and the ocean levels - are suddenly becoming important. We all know that action must take place to solve these problems, but the problem is that there's that question - you know the one - that stops us in our tracks: "Well, where do we start?"

But that's beside the point. This blog is about space, the wonder of it, and the exploration of it all. And it begs another, perhaps more important, question:

"If the Earth goes, where do we go? Where do we start all over?"

There are actually two viable options for us. One is the moon. The other Mars. Both entirely different kinds of spheres, and both entirely different for why they would be a good second home. And that's what they'd be - a second home

Why the Moon?

The moon is like the child of the Earth; in fact the moon is actually a piece of the Earth that broke of eons ago when the planet was still forming. Plus it's the closest object in the sky with a grand view of home to keep away home sickness. It has its drawbacks, though. It's small and wouldn't be able to hold the majority of the human race; and if the Earth truly does turn against us then were going to need a bigger backyard. But it'd be as good a place to start as any.

Check it out: How we would live on the moon

Why Mars?

The red planet. It's mysterious, grandeur... and, in some ways, Earth like. Mars has captured our imagination for centuries and rightly so. Mars is the only other planet in our solar system which has any inkling of life; there is even water, and the idea the land was once filled with oceans. It's also been studied that the atmosphere is very much in the same 'ball park' as ours, and the possibility of us living on Mars could prove to be very possible.

Mars is interesting though. A land full of dust, of mountains, buried streams, oceans. Could it be that Mars was once an Earth, and that what happened to Mars is happening to Earth right now. Imagine that: The creatures which occupied Mars were faced with the truth that their planet was dying and they needed a new home. They saw Earth - a beautiful and very livable land. Could we be their ancestors.

Whatever Mars was - or is - it would be prime real estate for the a future human race. Maybe we could be returning home.




A mosaic of the Cerberus Hemisphere of the planet Mars, circa 1990. (Photo by Space Frontiers/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

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