Steps to the Future

Nine planets move around the sun. But the Earth has the best position among the planets. It doesn't travel too near or too far from the sun. It receives the necessary amount of heat and light. The air around the Earth keeps out the sun's dangerous rays. The sun dries up some of the ocean water, but the air turns it into rain. Sun, air, and water give us the change of seasons from autumn and winter to spring and summer. The Earth becomes green with vegetation. Without the Earth's special environment, there would be no life. If we change this environment, we may destroy some of the life on Earth.

The Earth is 4.5 billion years old. At first it was a dead object of rock, without air or water. Now the Earth is the home of a variety of living things. All the varieties of plants and animals are dependent on the sun, on air and water, and on each other. The sun will shine for millions of years into the future. But will we be able to keep the Earth a special place among the planets?

The future of the Earth doesn't look bright. By the year 2000 there will be over six billion people on our planet. Even the farming areas of the world will be crowded with people. So farmers won't have a lot of land to grow food or to keep many animals. In twenty years bad air will produce more serious health problems. Chemicals will kill more fish in our rivers, lakes, and oceans. If we cut down too many trees, then many birds and wild animals won't have a home. We will destroy our environment if we don't plan for the future.

Scientists are discovering more about the universe and the Earth's place in it. They know that the Earth is only a tiny object among billions of others. They can observe new and dying stars through telescopes. They listen to radio signals from objects in deep space. They also send spaceships to explore the planets closely. According to the scientific information, no other planet but the Earth has the air, water, and vegetation necessary for life. The scientific exploration of space is an important step to the future of the Earth. Learning about climate and conditions on other planets may instruct us in how to take better care of this one.

Space scientists are hopeful about the future. They are planning new projects such as building space stations near the Earth. They will observe the stars and planets from these stations. They will also study biology, medicine, and chemistry there. They hope to find new ways of making the Earth a more healthful and comfortable place to live.

Some day astronauts, or space explorers, will travel to the moon again. The moon is a lifeless world, as the Earth once was. The astronauts will dig in the rocks below the moon's surface for signs of past life. Perhaps they will discover water in the rocks. Then they can grow vegetation in a laboratory. Maybe later the vegetation will produce air in the moon's environment. Right now life on the moon seems difficult and dangerous. But perhaps in the future astronauts can change the environment to make it more suitable for scientific work. From their discoveries we can learn to make a safer environment for life on Earth.

Space explorers see the Earth as a beautiful planet in the sky. We must not destroy it by being careless. The Earth is our only home, and we should plan now for its future. It is necessary for people to live here in peace and work together for a better Earth and a brighter future.