|
Author
|
Topic: Do We Really Need The Moon?
|
Sceptic1
Member Posts: 23
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2010
|
posted 02-02-2011 06:34 PM
  
As a regular reader (but until now not contributor) of these forums, I thought I would take the opportunity to introduce myself by drawing attention to this television documentary, which was broadcast on UK BBC2 at 21:00 GMT on Tuesday, February 1st, 2011.Presented by Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, a space scientist employed by Astrium, the programme looked at the influence the Moon has on the Earth and how, without it, our world would be a very different place. Most interesting to me was the suggestion that without the Moon to stir the ocean tides, life may not have evolved on Earth to the extent it has, or even developed at all. This coincides with an observation made by Isaac Asimov in a book he wrote in 1979 called Extraterrestrial Civilizations; which I am presently re-reading. Asimov suggested the presence of such a large satellite relative to the size of the Earth (effectively a double planet) may be so unusual as to make the likelihood of other civilizations like ours, elsewhere in the galaxy, to be extremely rare, should the aforementioned hypothesis be correct. We could even be unique. I think it is also true that without the Moon (virtually on our doorstep in astronomical terms) as an attainable target, we may have not yet ventured into space at all. All highly thought provoking, and surely the best kind of television. |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
|
posted 02-02-2011 07:16 PM
Who said life developed on the earth? More than likely it did, but I don't believe that we really know for sure. Plus, one might argue that without the moon "stirring" the oceans, there would have been many more niches available leading to even more species. But the point is well made; the moon certainly did impact the evolution of life on earth. So if there is/were life on Mars, what might we expect in light of the absence of a similar satellite? |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2454
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
|
posted 02-03-2011 02:25 AM
An interesting programme. However, some of the observations were open to much scientific debate.For example, I'm sure some scientists think that if the Moon were so close that it produced the huge tides claimed in the programme, it would have shattered and we would have rings like Saturn. |
garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
|
posted 02-03-2011 07:24 AM
Can you give us the title of the program? I'd like to try and find it to watch. Thank you. |
issman1
Member Posts: 1042
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2005
|
posted 02-03-2011 08:17 AM
You can watch it here. Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4 I've seen Dr. Pocock on BBC News 24 on numerous occasions being interviewed about astronomy and human spaceflight. |
Sceptic1
Member Posts: 23
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2010
|
posted 02-03-2011 09:09 AM
Thanks everyone, I'm pleased my first posting has prompted a response as the origin of life is a subject I find very interesting, although I agree it is open to a lot of speculation.Regarding the tv programme: 'Do We Really Need the Moon?', I hadn't really considered how unusual the Earth-Moon system is, and what the significance of that might be. Dr Pocock's conclusion was that we should appreciate the Moon more and consider how it could be exploited beneficially, although I'm not sure that covering a large part of the surface with solar panels would be entirely acceptable!  |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
|
posted 02-03-2011 10:10 AM
The importance of the moon in the suitability of the Earth for life as we know it was one of the topics covered in Bill Bryson's book "A Short History of Nearly Everything".This book gives a great overview of all fields of science and how we came to know what we do. It's 'pop science' if you like, but not dumbed-down, and is full of amusing anecdotes from history. I really can't recommend this book highly enough to anyone who has an interest in the world around them, or indeed in anything at all.  |
stsmithva
Member Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007
|
posted 02-03-2011 04:51 PM
quote:
Originally posted by spaced out:
I really can't recommend this book highly enough.
Bill Bryson RULES. I own every book he's written. I take geeky pride in the fact that for years he had framed in his study a little poster I gave him: a reprint of a 1930s ad warning that if you didn't buy your workers quality paper towels, they would become Bolsheviks. (He mentioned similar ads in one of his books.)Anyway, to get back on topic, for over ten years I've had on my list of books to get around to What If The Moon Didn't Exist? by Neil F. Comins. It appears to have done a fantastic job examining a variety of alternate Earths. |
Rizz
Member Posts: 1208
From: Upcountry, Maui, Hawaii
Registered: Mar 2002
|
posted 02-03-2011 05:00 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Sceptic1:
Dr Pocock's conclusion was that we should appreciate the Moon more and consider how it could be exploited beneficially...
Perhaps create more funding here on Earth for Helium 3 fusion energy research, and start bringing some back home from the Moon to produce electricity, in a safe and clean manner, with no radioactive byproducts to address. Easier said than done, but there’s plenty of it on the Moon.
|
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
|
posted 02-05-2011 03:37 AM
Sceptic1, welcome to collectSPACE!Indeed a good and well-researched documentary by the BBC and let me make the remark that the BBC series "Men of Rock" were of great quality with explanations of the chances of Earth's orbit around the Sun and the influence on our climate and geology... |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2454
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
|
posted 02-05-2011 05:54 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Philip:
Indeed a good and well-researched documentary by the BBC...
There are plenty who would disagree with some of the 'well researched' points made by this programme.However, it was entertainingly presented as one person's view on this complex subject. |
issman1
Member Posts: 1042
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2005
|
posted 02-05-2011 06:15 AM
quote:
Originally posted by moorouge:
it was entertainingly presented as one person's view on this complex subject.
Have to agree with you. But I do think Dr. Pocock could become Britain's Neil deGrasse Tyson. |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3118
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
|
posted 02-05-2011 05:11 PM
One point which I noted was a failure to give any real explanation as to how tidal interaction between Earth and Moon has caused the Moon to recede from the Earth. It's not that difficult to explain, and I felt the presence of the dreaded "dumbing-down." |
advertisement