Choose one type of wave to research that is different from your classmates and share your findings with the class. Discuss how it impacts our lives, and if
these impacts are positive or negative.
The earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere help protect it from solar radiation, but they cannot protect the planet completely from larger CMEs. The largest
CME on record happened in 1859 and is called the Carrington Event. During this event telegraph communications were disrupted. Do some research on CMEs and
discuss how a large one would impact your life and your community. Is there anything you can do to be better prepared for a CME event?
As we learn more about our universe, we see that humans will not be able to live on the earth forever. At some point the sun will die and make the earth
uninhabitable. Don’t worry, it is not forecasted to happen for another 5 billion years. The earth faces other dangers from space such as asteroid impacts and
gamma ray bursts (from the death of larger stars) to name just a couple. Humans also pose a threat to their own existence with climate change. A runaway
greenhouse effect could make the earth more like Venus. This is one argument for promoting space travel and developing technology for colonizing other
planets.
Do you think more effort and resources should be put into colonizing the moon and other plants? Why or why not?
If you were able to be part of a mission to go to Mars, or another planet, would you want to participate? Would it make a difference if you knew you would
never be returning to earth?
Some of the threats to the earth cannot be prevented, but things like climate change can be altered by how humans behave. Should we be putting more resources
into understanding how climate change can impact our planet and take steps to prevent it? Why or why not?
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