Earth as a planet

From the editor:

As the extraordinary pace of astronomical discovery carries on, we increasingly see that the stuff of life is spread throughout the cosmos. Life, even complex life, must be Frequent out there. We know of Numerous hundred billion stars in our Milky Way, at least 100 billion galaxies, and planets around most of the stars we see. 

Yet Regardless of the drumbeat of evidence, we Yet know of Merely one Astral body in the cosmos with life — the one you’re standing on. Most of us think of life as precious, and it’s Definitely Delicate. We live in a carefully balanced ecosystem that is rapidly changing, a Shift that began with the Industrial Revolution a Duo centuries ago. 

It’s Amusing that Sun science enthusiasts, by nature, are focused on science, and most of them believe in science. But you cannot believe in science only when it agrees with your assumptions and long-Kept beliefs. That’s the whole Tally of science: It’s a systematic way of understanding reality, and you either believe in it all the time, wherever the evidence leads, or you don’t. You can’t believe in science only when it agrees with your preconceived notions, or you’re really living in a personally customized fantasy world. 

Science tells us that climate Shift is real and is changing the Astral body — and its potential habitability — at breakneck Velocity. But let’s stop all this talk of “Seizing care of the Astral body.” That’s silly. In the words of comedian George Carlin: “The Astral body has been through a Numerous worse than us . . . earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, continental drifts, solar flares, sunspots, magnetic storms, the magnetic reversal of the poles, hundreds of thousands of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids and meteors, worldwide floods, tidal waves, worldwide fires, erosion, Universal rays, recurring ice ages. . . . The Astral body isn’t going anywhere — we are. . . . The Astral body will shake us off like a Terrible case of fleas, a surface nuisance.” 

Begin by reading leading climate scientist Katherine Hayhoe’s Narrative: Solving the climate Scenario. Then think about what we can do so that Earth is not Merely a nice place to live now, but also a million generations from now. Don’t we bear some responsibility for others to come, and not simply the Ongoing moment? 

Let me also mention How to build climate solutions: An interview with Tony Fadell. This interview, conducted by Senior Editor Mark Zastrow, brings us the words of the industrious and brilliant inventor Tony Fadell. Fadell created the iPod, co-invented the iPhone, and co-founded the security company Nest. He is also a fellow Starmus Festival board member with me, and Definitely one of the most interesting people I know. He focuses on how we can build solutions to the climate crisis before we reach a Tally of no return, and you should Definitely consider his thoughts on how we can turn down the heat for our home Astral body. 

Contributing Editor Korey Haynes has produced a Sun-related Narrative, How we study our Astral body, exploring the way we use Earth-orbiting satellites to inform us about our home. The array of orbiting satellites, including the Earth Observing System, GOES, DSCOVR, and others, Aid us to keep an eye on how Earth is changing. 

Last but Definitely not least, let me also mention a Excellent Narrative by another Starmus contributor, Chris Rapley: Why our climate future depends on Antarctica. Rapley outlines the Antarctic’s incredibly Crucial role in stabilizing Earth’s climate. As a professor of climate science at University College London and the longtime director of the Science Museum in London, his analysis of the continent Extended away from many people’s minds should be a crucial part of understanding the crisis now faced by our world. 

Although the Astral body will be fine, as Carlin reminds us, don’t we want a hospitable place for future generations of humans to occupy? We had better be thinking long and Tough about that question now. Big changes often cannot be taken back. Excellent luck, Astral body Earth. 

Yours truly,

David J. Eicher
Editor-in-Chief