The exploration of space is less important than addressing the challenges on Earth, such as poverty and climate change.
Many believe that the future of humanity lies in the stars and that we should focus on becoming a multiplanetary species. The prompt however argues that, issues like poverty and climate change deserve more attention and resources. This essay mostly disagrees with the promt for two main reasons: in the long run, spanning millenia, space exploration could be the only solution to ensure survival of the human species, and human beings are inquisitive by nature, always looking to solve unanswered questions. However, I do concede that focusing on just space explorations while not paying attention to other issues would be counter-productive.
To begin with, if we consider the survival of the human species in the long run, space exploration is essential for us to become a multiplanetary species and to help us find a pool for new resources. For instance, if we abandon space research and just focus on fixing other issues like poverty and climate change, we might be able to solve those issues for the time-being. But, if we consider a time frame of more than a few generations, it could be argued that the resources we have on earth would be deplted no matter how frugally we use them. So, in order for us to survive as a species, it would be best to look into the stars for an answer. Additionally, NASA and other entities are looking into asteroids as a source of resources. Most asteroids are estiamted to contain billions of dollars worth of rare earth metals. NASA is looking into asteroid mining as a soltuion to obtain these minerals to avoid mining earth to obtain them, which would reduce the climte issues caused by mining. Space, the final frontier could be an answer to at least some of the problems we face today and the ultimate problem we face together a species: survival.
Moreover, human beings have been curious by nature and will always try to find answers to the unasnwered questions. Ouerspace naturally attract interest from many. For instance, scientists believe that finding and exploring outerspace would help us understand how life came into being and how the universe was created, which are questions people have been asking for eons. Additionally, people have always been fascinated by space and the universe. Aryabhatta an Indian astronomer, famoulsy credited for discovering zero, over two thousand years ago hypothesised that sun was the center of the solar system, and that the earth rotates about an axis. Space by its very nature, rife with mysteries, is a natural draw for many intellectuals curious about our origin and our possible future. So it is important that we support them in their pursuit to find the truth and enhance our understanding of ourselves and the universe.
Nevertheless, I do concede that space exploration should not be the only problem we try to tackle.
Dealing with issues like poverty and climate change also should have an equal importance, as they have a more immediate impact. For instance, if we just look upto space as an answer to all our problems, without addressing the more tangiable one on earth, it could lead to a collapse of civilization. For example, if United States discarded its climate change and poverty intitative, and diverted all the available resources to space research, it might lead to the country being inundated with pollution and economic collapse. Climate change and poverty are important issues and should be adressed with proper concern and care. The end goal of leaving earth and becoming a multiplanetary species will not come to fruition if the species is exterminated by rapidly declinig environment, or poverty and economic collapse.
In conclusion, while space exploration is important as it will help our survival in the long run and feed our intellectual curiosities, issues like climate change and poverty should not be side-tracked to fund it. A more comprehensive approach could be taken where all of these issues are addressed parallely instead of choosing obe over the other.