You are here: HomeOpinionsArticles2023 01 25Article 1701485

Opinions of Wednesday, 25 January 2023

Columnist: Bubune Swatson-Akpedonu

Leave space, discover Earth (LSDE)

File photo File photo

Since the beginning of time, man has done great things, both wonderful and hazardous.

Starting our first space mission in 1962 supported by a grand speech from the U.S.A’s former president John F. Kennedy. Stating the benefits of exploring space and adding knowledge and wonder to it. But first let’s ask ourselves, ‘What about our Earth?’

Are we done exploring it? What of the things left undiscovered, just itching to be found? Yet we have skipped all these things and are already in the next phase of exploration. An alternative life, one full of different, completely opposite lifestyles, behaviour, and phenomenon.

Many say, space, is a place filled with such beauty and awe but what about Earth, wasn’t it once or still such a beauty? We spend so much on space expeditions while in the process destroying our only hope of life, being, Earth. More than 1.35 trillion dollars are spent on trips to space, while an estimate of 100,000 dollars could do a lot to improve a small town or area while providing needs and services.

The air we breathe is being polluted by factories making the metal alloys used in the production of space probes and/or rockets. While it is being launched, harmful gases are emitted from the machines. This can cause global warming and even acid rain. Some places in the world suffer from poisonous fumes clouding the atmosphere, breathing in these fumes can be lethal and lead to death.

Besides all the ways space exploration is affecting the world negatively, instead of more space explorations, why not explore Earth, get to know it better, and reunion between mother and child? Doing this could help us know how we are affecting the world and how to stop it. Did you know that less than 5% of oceans have been explored?

Why not use the time, effort, and money to discover more of our oceans instead of endless explorations into space and the unknown. Very few parts of our land have been explored and discovered with the amount of detail as space. Finding out more about our Earth is a much safer, less expensive expedition.

People may think otherwise of this revelation but to find out whether it is certain is to go deeper into the matters of Earth for much detail to be uncovered. We must make a change. It is important for us to know more about the Earth, our homeland, before diving into different alternate dimensions. Don’t we study the face of an object before turning it?

We must go above our standards but before we can achieve this, we must get to the limit. George Mallory was questioned on why he climbed Mt. Everest and he answered ‘Because it is there.’

Well, Earth is right here and we must finish our job here before we go there. Let us complete our understanding of Earth before we go higher.