The Earth - We Had Better Look After It

E = mc²

Above is the famous equation that Albert Einstein derived. But what does it mean to us all? Is it not just part of the work of an academic, and of little relevance to everyday life; no.  If we look at the variables in the equation:

 E - energy

m - mass

c – speed of light 

Link all these together and you realize that at the speed of light, matter ceases to exist.  Or more correctly the speed of light is a limit and more and more energy is required to come closer to this limit.  Only energy can exist at this speed.  What are the fastest speed people can travel through space?  One estimate is about one hundredth the speed of light.  So if the nearest star to earth, Proxima Centauri, is 4.3 Light Years away, it will take humans more than 400 years to reach it.  Not a very practical task.  So for very practical reasons we are staying here on Earth and we had better look after it because it is the only one we will ever have.  We humans can't mess it up and then go and find another planet.

There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew. 

Buckminster Fuller

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