Colonizing Mars
Colonizing Mars
Many scientists believe that humanity has a date with extinction if we do not try to expand our horizons. It took about 4.5 billion years for mankind to evolve into the intelligent beings we see when we look in the mirror. For this very reason scientists believe that mankind would make a grave mistake if we do not put forth a dedicated effort in saving humanity. There are many concerns that are facing mankind in attempting to colonize space and other planets. However the dangers of not colonizing space and other planets outweigh the attempt remarkably. Mankind has proven time and time again that if we come together as one, we can accomplish anything. Some scientists believe that humanity can become extinct if an asteroid was to slam into our planet. Research has proven that a catastrophe of that magnitude has already occurred. Many scientists theorize that this could have been the cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs. Other researchers like Stephen Hawking, believe that humanity will destroy itself. Stephen Hawking is a professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Albert Einstein. He says, “In the last two hundred years, population growth has become exponential, that is, the population grows by the same percentage each year” (Hawking ,158). The current rate in which the human population grows each year is about 1.9 percent. That might not sound like much, but at that rate the human population doubles every 40 years. According to Professor Hawking, “By the year 2600 the world’s population will be standing shoulder to shoulder, and electricity use will make the Earth glow red-hot” (Hawking ,158). Professor Hawking believes that the only way that humanity can co-exist in harmony is by colonizing space and even other planets. Out of all the Planets in our Solar System, scientists believe that Mars is the best candidate for
Many scientists believe that humanity has a date with extinction if we do not try to expand our horizons. It took about 4.5 billion years for mankind to evolve into the intelligent beings we see when we look in the mirror. For this very reason scientists believe that mankind would make a grave mistake if we do not put forth a dedicated effort in saving humanity. There are many concerns that are facing mankind in attempting to colonize space and other planets. However the dangers of not colonizing space and other planets outweigh the attempt remarkably. Mankind has proven time and time again that if we come together as one, we can accomplish anything. Some scientists believe that humanity can become extinct if an asteroid was to slam into our planet. Research has proven that a catastrophe of that magnitude has already occurred. Many scientists theorize that this could have been the cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs. Other researchers like Stephen Hawking, believe that humanity will destroy itself. Stephen Hawking is a professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Albert Einstein. He says, “In the last two hundred years, population growth has become exponential, that is, the population grows by the same percentage each year” (Hawking ,158). The current rate in which the human population grows each year is about 1.9 percent. That might not sound like much, but at that rate the human population doubles every 40 years. According to Professor Hawking, “By the year 2600 the world’s population will be standing shoulder to shoulder, and electricity use will make the Earth glow red-hot” (Hawking ,158). Professor Hawking believes that the only way that humanity can co-exist in harmony is by colonizing space and even other planets. Out of all the Planets in our Solar System, scientists believe that Mars is the best candidate for
Cited: Asimov, Isaac. Colonizing the Planets and Stars. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 1990. Crossman, Robert Zubrin and Frank. On To Mars. Ontario,Canada: Collector 's Guide Publishing Inc., 2002. Hawking, Stephen. The Universe in a Nutshell. New York, New York: Bantam Books, 2001. Wagner, Robert Zubrin and Richard. The Case for Mars: The plan to settle the Red Planet and why we must. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster Inc. , 1997.