Near-Earth Objects and Their Impact on Society Essay -- Space Explorat

Ever since the beginning of human history, people explored. Man, woman and child alike had opportunities to see the beauty and magnificence of Earth. They have seen the vast outstretches of Earth’s land, from the lush green plains of America, to the brilliant golden sands of Africa, and the roaring deep blue oceans. Over time, humans settled, leaving their nomadic past behind. Yet, their thirst for exploration continued. Magellan, Columbus, and Lewis and Clark, for example, quenched this thirst by going on expeditions to find new pathways for land, riches, or both. The Chinese were also pioneers of exploration. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Chief Historian Steven J. Dick, the Chinese once commandeered massive and elegant ships many times bigger than Columbus’s. He notes that their technology eventually staggered because of their later isolation and xenophobia towards the rest of the world. As a result, other countries, li ke the United States, later surpassed Chinese innovations. Throughout the golden age of exploration, however, there were also drawbacks. Dangers, risks, conflicts, and infectious diseases plagued explorers and their companions, but they continued to wander in hopes to improve efficiency and human life. Eventually, human expansion and exploration dwindled. Still, the spirit to press on sustained; people looked for new ways to explore. The Cold War era opened up a new frontier of exploration: space. Dubbed â€Å"the final frontier,† space holds many mysteries and secrets incomprehensible to the layperson. Space is unfamiliar and foreign. A dark shroud masks the dangers of space from the public majority. However, scientists, engineers and researchers know many potential dangers o... ...extinction." AccessScience. McGraw-Hill Companies. 2011. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. Delgado, Laura. "When inspiration fails to inspire: A change of strategy for the US space program." Space Policy. 27.2 (2011): 94-98. High Technology Research Database with Aerospace. Web. 18 Mar. 2012. Dick, Steven. â€Å"The Importance of Exploration.† Exploring our Solar System. NASA. 22 Nov. 2007. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. Felton, John. â€Å"Space Program.† CQ Researcher. 24 Feb. 2012: 177-204. Web. 7 Mar. 2012. Morrison, David. "FAQs About NEO Impacts." Asteroid and Comet Impact Hazards. NASA. Sep. 2004. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. Norris, Guy. "Close Encounters." Aviation Week & Space Technology. 173.42 28 (2011): 51-52. Applied Science & Technology Full Text. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. Webster, Bobby. "Space Exploration." International Debate Education Association (IDEA). IDebate. 23 Oct. 2008. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.