by Evelyn Waugh, Physics Major

A lust for the unknown is embedded in our genetic code. Humans have always sought undiscovered lands. This could be why humans have always gazed into the cosmos, although it was also likely because of the comfort they found in its permanence and mythical figures of power. Even then, ancient man took interest in the patterns of stars and changing cycles of the moon.

Today, our understanding of the universe is drastically different. Astronomers study an expanding, observable universe about 14 billion years old, with a diameter of about 91 billion light-years. We are aware that our entire solar system is but a speck in the vast cosmic ocean.

Currently, there is a hovering apathy for astronomical discoveries, and a prevalent attitude that STEM subjects are cold, uninteresting, and only for the somehow gifted. Sadly, this attitude it engraved in many minds before they even reach middle school. People question the purpose of exploring space at all, and the validity of funding future research.

Where has our romance for space gone? 2015 was an extraordinary year for cosmic discovery: New Horizons captured a stunning photo of Pluto, Curiosity gathered rich new data on the evolution of Mars, and Rosetta landed a probe on a comet. Space is becoming commercialized as people find ways to mine resources from other worlds. There certainly is no shortage of discovery to celebrate, and yet, as a nation, we have become complacent.

SMCC students should engage in cosmic discovery and other sciences in order to be empowered, capable citizens in a progressing society. Regardless of your major, your life is intimately dependent upon science. Without the contributions of NASA, we would not have MRIs, GPS, modern radio and telephone systems, memory foam mattresses, and more.  

To fully understand our climate, it would be helpful to study other climates. Studying the evolution of the atmospheres of other planets would give us something to compare and relate our planet’s dynamics to.

Consider the study of biology. Currently, we study one main form of life: carbon based life evolved on Earth. Through seeking extraterrestrial life forms, we may broaden our understanding of life. There may possibly be no complex life within our vicinity to compare our biology to. This discovery in itself is satisfying: it speaks for the rarity of complex molecular machinery such as we are. Or maybe, we do find other life. This would drastically change the field of biology. It would be analogous to a linguist, whose learning of another language enriches his understanding of his native tongue.

These are tangible reasons to care about space exploration. There are also more subjective reasons. One driving factor for many scientists is the emotional gratification attainted through seeing the world through a new lense. Astronomy is humbling. It shows our scale and temporariness in the vastness of space. It is also confidence building. If we can solve problems like getting to the moon or landing a probe on an asteroid, what can’t we overcome? The can-do attitude derived through solving difficult problems may permeate our sense of what it means to be human.  We should engage in space exploration most simply because we are able to. We can and we should do science.

In The Upanishads, an ancient Sanskrit text that defined many modern philosophies, it is written that, “The self shines in space through knowing.” Please consider joining SMCC-ACE (Association of Cosmic Exploration). SMCC-ACE meets on Wednesdays at 3 PM in Hildreth room 211. We are currently seeking tech-savvy students to help us keep our radio astronomy program afloat. If you are interested in ionospheric research, specifically pertaining to solar flare tracking, please contact evelynlwaugh@smccme.edu or stop by our meeting next Wednesday.