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Example research essay topic: Heavenly Bodies Space Exploration - 1,949 words

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Society today is confronted by a profound crisis and challenge in the world of humans and of nature. God so orders creation that everything in it is related to everything else. All physical components and all organisms, including human beings, are purposefully woven together in ecological systems or ecosystems, such as forests, grasslands, the oceans, as well as the planet earth. When any part is tampered with, exploited or destroyed the effect is felt in other parts and eventually in the whole system. The ecological crisis consists in the radical violation of the systems God creates.

The challenge to human beings is the way in which they deal with this crisis; it will have profound significance for all of life in our time and for generations to come. Long before telescopes and sophisticated instruments, ancient peoples looked to the heavens for answers to the basic questions of life. From the very first verse, the Bible, the most influential collection of books in Western civilization, purports to provide answers to some of these questions, claiming that the Hebrew god created the heavens (Genesis 1: 1) and that he made the Earth for human beings to inhabit (Isaiah 45: 18). Heavenly luminaries were formed to provide light for Earth and markers for the seasons (Genesis 1: 14 - 16). The Earth was the center of the biblical universe. The relationship between the Bible and modern astronomy has been very complicated and often turbulent.

For most of the last two thousand years, any research on astronomy had to follow the biblical interpretation of the Church, as the case of Galileo in the seventeenth century illustrated. Accordingly, many scientists would argue that, for modern astronomy to be born, biblical cosmology had to die. Those who believe life exists on distant planets usually base that belief on the following reasoning: Life evolved on Earth. Because the universe is so immense and contains so many heavenly bodies, life probably evolved on other planets as well. This reasoning is flawed. First, it assumes life evolved on Earth.

Overwhelming evidence shows life is so complex it could not have evolved anywhere! Over the last 140 years, our culture has been so saturated with evolution that many have uncritically believed it. As a result, they concluded that life must also have evolved on at least a few of the many extraterrestrial bodies. Yes, there are many stars, and a very small fraction may have planets. However, the probability of just one living cell forming by natural processes is so infinitesimal, even considering the vast number of stars, that the likelihood of life spontaneously occurring anywhere in the visible universe is virtually zero! Could God have created life elsewhere?

Certainly, but the Bible is largely silent on this subject. However, the Bible does say, For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them. (Exodus 20: 11 a). So if life were created in outer space, it would have happened during the six creation days. Also, because Genesis 1: 1419 says heavenly bodies were made on the fourth day, one can narrow the possible time for creating extraterrestrial life to the 4 th, 5 th, or 6 th creation days. Three other Bible verses suggest that conscious, rational life is unique to earth. Romans 8: 22 states, the whole creation groans and suffers as a consequence of Adams sin.

This would be a strange statement if human like beings existed in outer space, because it would mean that they, who were not descended from Adam, nonetheless suffer because of Adams sin. Romans 5: 12 tells us, through one man [Adam] sin entered the world. The Greek word we translate as world is kosmos, which generally means the entire universe. Again, if intelligent beings exist beyond Earth, they would be suffering unjustly, it would seem for Adams sin. Genesis 1: 14 states that the heavenly bodies were made for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years. It does not say that they were created as habitats for other creatures.

Romans 8: 22 states, the whole creation groans and suffers as a consequence of Adams sin. This would be a strange statement if human like beings existed in outer space, because it would mean that they, who were not descended from Adam, nonetheless suffer because of Adams sin. Romans 5: 12 tells us, through one man [Adam] sin entered the world. The Greek word we translate as world is kosmos, which generally means the entire universe. Again, if intelligent beings exist beyond Earth, they would be suffering unjustly, it would seem for Adams sin. Genesis 1: 14 states that the heavenly bodies were made for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years.

It does not say that they were created as habitats for other creatures. The question which all this poses is most fundamental and important: "Who or what is the centre of the universe?" Many people think that the world revolves around them, that they are the centre of the universe, and that all others exist for their benefit. Although, there is no scientific evidence of this, it is the practical belief of millions. The scientific community have moved considerably on the question of the centre of the universe. Many years ago the long-held belief that planet earth was the centre gave way to the evidence that the sun was the centre.

Now there is widespread support for the view that there is no centre! Instead there are, we are told, millions of suns, forming millions of galaxies, spread out in an unfathomable extent of empty space. "The heavens declare the glory of God, " David wrote in Psalms 19: 1. With modern technology, new wonders about the heavens are being discovered continually. Most Christians interpret the reports of these discoveries as proof the Creator's wisdom and power, that illustrate what David wrote. The space exploration in all ages was really interesting and question.

America was racing its cold war rival Russia to the moon when three astronauts perished in the Apollo 1 launch pad fire Jan. 27, 1967. That rivalry, although muted, remained when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded Jan. 28, 1986. Today, the United States and Russia work shoulder to shoulder to build and operate the International Space Station - humanity's outpost on the threshold of interplanetary space. The loss of Columbia and its heroic crew may ground American space ships for a time. But space station operations need not miss a beat. Russian robotic Progress freighters can continue to supply the station crew.

A Russian Soyuz craft stands by at the station to evacuate the crew in an emergency. If American shuttles still are grounded when it's time for a crew change, a Soyuz can do the job. Neither of the two nations that have led humanity to the ultimate frontier any longer faces its perils alone. This gives practical meaning to shuttle program manager Ron Dittemore's promise that humanity's exploration of space flight will continue in spite of tragic setbacks. With Canada, Europe, and Japan in the station partnership, much of the industrialized world is involved. Spaceflight has ceased to be primarily a matter of national interest.

It has truly become a human endeavor. China, which now has space flight aspirations, will undoubtedly learn this lesson. Mr. Dittemore and other NASA officials also promise to find what went wrong with Columbia and fix it. Now that does evoke a sense of deja vu.

NASA promised to do that in 1967. It found that management failures and moon- race pressures were more to blame for the Apollo 1 fire than any technical faults. The "fix" consisted in establishing a "zero defect" culture that made safety and reliability priority No. 1. It was the key ingredient in the success of the moon exploration program.

When Challenger exploded, NASA again promised to find the problem and fix it. An independent commission - established in spite of bureaucratic evasiveness - again found the problem lay more with people than with hardware. Changing national priorities with attendant budget cuts plus bureaucratic rivalry had fostered a culture of "minor defect" tolerance. Tough standards and tighter procedures reestablished safety's overriding priority - at least for a time.

One wonders whether the investigation into Columbia's mishap will repeat this scenario. Annual reports of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel have, for several years, warned that safety's priority seems to be slipping. Some members of Congress have expressed similar concern. None of these warnings challenge the safety commitment of people involved with the shuttle program.

Yet with continuing budget down holds and rising space station costs, there's temptation to defer seemingly no critical shuttle safety upgrades. As for replacing the aging shuttles with 21 st century ships, this much discussed necessity seems to be perpetually on hold. It's just 100 years since the Wright brothers were barely skimming above the sand. Now globe-girdling aircraft knit the world so tightly, a partnership of nations can pursue a larger vision. Humanity is turning its face outward to the universe in a practical way that was unavailable before. To profit from this opportunity, the United States needs to commit itself to a space program that is sustainable and consistently funded.

The financial rewards for space exploration are immeasurable, both from an industrial and a commercial point of view. Further to this many of the 'spin-offs' of space exploration have already produced million and even billion dollar industries. Imagine how many more financially rewarding spin-offs could be generated from a serious effort at crossing the final frontier. Outside of money the most often quoted reason against space exploration is: Should we not devote resources to improving our own planet first?

This is once again a very short-sighted viewpoint to take. By exploring space great possibilities will be discovered to improve our world, possibilities that can not be found while we sit here. The most obvious benefit will be the advancement in the physical sciences and in medicine that will allows us to improve our way of life on this planet immeasurably. This is something we shall return to in a moment; first it would be prudent to suggest other benefits to our civilizations that would result from us crossing space.

Perhaps the most important result would be that mankind could well start looking outwards, away from the inner conflicts that exist within our civilizations. Those conflicts that threaten to tear our civilizations apart while still in its childhood, with the consequences of the use of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons being obvious. Surely it is reasonable to suggest that by looking outwards the ideals of some, of nationalism and to some extent even terrorism, could be dispelled. It is not the answer to all the problems but it could well be a start.

Certainly it must provide a release from many of the political tensions of the world. Another important idea to consider along these same lines is that almost without doubt the greatest age of mankind began with the exploration that followed the invention of the sailing ship and navigational techniques. Following this age of expansion came an age of discovery, and it can be seen that the same pattern emerges right through history (Columbus' contemporaries included Leonardo Da Vinci and following Sir Walter Raleigh came Shakespeare and Galileo). Just as it was with the Renaissance the new knowledge that we initially acquire may be of limited direct use but could lead once again to a massive outburst of creativity, both in the arts and the sciences. Without the impetus that exploration brings, however, our civilizations will inevitably stagnate, and this will surely lead to...


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Research essay sample on Heavenly Bodies Space Exploration

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