Why do we bother with dead rocks...?

Question

While we haven't explored our oceans? We spend billions to go to dead planets with no atmosphere in hope to find the fossils of micro organisms but we haven't seen what is in our oceans. I was watching a documentary and the creatures that exist down there are spectacular. More fascinating and strange than the "aliens" we see in movies...they glow and it is so hard to believe that they are actual organisms and exist here. Shouldn't we have the governments funding more research and not just some people trying to make documentaries?

Obviously I am not saying that space exploration is useless. It is also fascinating! But if we dont explore our OWN planet first, why are we trying so hard on others?

Ash, thats my point..if they spent the money they spend to put a satellite up there, one a vessel it would go so much deeper. It doesnt need to have people on board, it could be automated. So the safety problem is easy to solve. Besides, we do the same with space.

Answer 1

Good question, but you're not thinking about the scale of the areas you're comparing. The ocean is big, but outer space *defines* "big."

NOAA has two departments that deal with ocean research: the National Ocean Service (NOS), which monitors ocean resources, and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research Operations (OAR).

The NOS is requesting $394 million for 2007; the OAR, $338 million. So call that about $732 million dollars for ocean monitoring and exploration. (Source 1)

NASA for 2007: 1.6 billion for exploring the solar system; 1.5 billion for observing the Universe; 2.2 billion for the "Earth-Sun System" (Source 2)

All together NASA would like to spend 5.3 billion on space science for FY 2007.

That means we're spending, roughly, 13% of NASA's space science budget on the ocean.

But in return for spending roughtly seven dollars on space for every one on the oceans, we get scientific information *from the entire observable universe.*

The requirements for a mission to "just" the Jupiter planetary system dictate a lower limit to the size of the probe we can send to learn more about it.

But when that probe gets there - we'll get information about a planet thousands of times larger than Earth, with a moon system that can be considered a solar system in its own right.

Like we got with Galileo. In addition, the missions we're sending to the planets can only return so much detail about what they're observing.

Oceanic missions - up close and detailed missions like you are implying - have to cope with the harsh pressure and murkiness of the deep ocean. A very challenging environment that limits the scale of what can be observed. (Not talking about side-scan sonar or other active sensor exploration here...)

Not that we shouldn't do it; but the scope of discovery makes a straight comparison between NOAA and NASA's missions inadvisable.

Answer 2

There is the fact that the depths of the oceans are more dangerous than outer space.

The pressure difference between sea level and outer space is just 1 atmosphere.

In the sea, that pressure difference is encountered at just 10 metres, 33 feet.

So, go down to the ocean depths where all the strange stuff is needs a probe with 9 inch thick reinforced glass windows. Humans cannot get out in that pressure, whereas dozens have space-walked.

I don't think you realize what an alien place is the deep ocean.

But I do agree with you to some extent.

By the way, a vessel has been down to the deepest place - the Marianas Trench. Look it up. But these vessels are as expensive as space probes, and you can do less with them because you can't see far at 35000 feet depth in the ocean.

Answer 3

You said you saw a documentary about creatures that live at the bottom of the ocean and also say we have not explored there? How would we even know about these creatures if the deep oceans had not been explored? You must mean we have not explored the ocean enough, because it has clearly been explored some. And visited way, way more than 6 times, which is how many times the Moon has been visited. So I do not think our exploration is unbalanced at all, with 6 manned Moon landings and a few dozen robotic missions to other planets, compared to thousands upon thousands of visits to the deep oceans.

Answer 4

Umm...I'm confused. How could there be a documentary about the oceans if scientists aren't exploring the oceans? The fact is that there are lots of people involved in the exploration of our oceans. Sure, NOAA doesn't get the same amount of press that NASA does, but that's probably related to the fact that the average kid can go outside at night and look up at the sky and wonder about what's up there, whereas the average kid can't do that with the ocean, unless she lives near the ocean.

Look up NOAA, look up ALVIN, look up WHOI. There's lots of research going on!

The neatest thing about the ocean, in my opinion, is the ecosystems that have formed around black smokers - perhaps something like that exists under the ice on Europa (not another dead rock in space, mind you)!

Answer 5

Good idea. Due to the constant shifting of the earth's crust, what is now the ocean may have once been the surface and vice versa which could explain some of the water marks on rocks several hundred feet above the surface.

We may even find remnants of mankind that existed before they currently think that we did. Maybe we will find that life has been destroyed and recreated a number of times. It seems that a lot more questions could be answered.

Answer 6

You have a good question but your premis is flawed. We are not looking fo aliens in the space. Rather we look to the Universe for answers as to where we all came from, where Earth and teh Milky Way, galaxies came from. These answers help us to understand what life was like 10,000 years ago and more importantly, what life will be like every day from now. As well, if you look at Earth from a distance, there are craters, just like the moon. And there is a very good chance that one day, Earth will be hit again with a large metor. So space science is not just for reserach but for the protection of the planet Earth. As well, NASA conducts a lot of reserach that helps to understand things like Global Warming, Ozone Layers, etc.

But I do agree with you that all research needs to be fair and balanced for the greater good of humans and all things on Earth

Answer 7

We are exploring the Ocean, It is just hard to do after certian depts with humans because of all of the saftey issues that arise because of the pressure that is put on the vessel

Answer 8

We are looking to space for answers to keep our planet from turning into one of the so called dead planets as you called it...and in the event it comes to it; we could move to another planet that has been deemed safe for habitat.

Answer 9

because those dead rocks help solve huge questions. unless those submarines can find some pieces of dead rocks on the bottom of the ocean, those questions cant be solved there.

Answer 10

thats agreat prospective of that matter. ive always supported space travel but after your question...... i may havesecond thoughts. that is really a great question and i would never have thought of it myself. you must be very smart or have no life lol im just kidding.