Week 9 | Space
The “Powers of Ten” video clip made me feel simultaneously insignificant and remarkable. At one end of the spectrum, human beings are an invisible and unnoteworthy mechanism within one of many galaxies from a view of a thousand to millions of light years away. However, the other extreme of the spectrum zooms into the human body to a single atom core and uncovers the invisible mechanisms that keep us functioning. I think this video generates an amazing sensation from its viewers due to the sheer scale of representation which forces the viewer to position themselves in the universe.
Laika the Dog. NASA.
Another thought provoking video stemmed from the coverage of Russia’s Sputnik launch and subsequent launch that call into questions of ethics. For instance, one of the earlier launches into outer space contained living organisms including animal species such as dogs. The dog subject had restricted mobility and did not survive the trip due to a failure in the life support system. It is natural to be curious about the “final frontier”, but I wonder if all the resources and sacrifices are worth it to explore a space that is ultimately hostile and inhabitable to humans.
New Space Race between US and China?
Lastly, another fact of history that piqued my interest was the increase of math and science subjects in public education in response to the space race. It seemed natural to me that schools would have always taught a balanced curriculum of liberal studies and math. Since the space race promoted the importance of hard sciences, I am curious as to what the technology in 50 years will be to promote new subjects in schools.
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