Space, otherwise known as "the Final Frontier", has fascinated scientists as well as artists for centuries. Constellations, auroras, and other planets have sparked many myths and other folklore. The ideas of the heavens and leaving Earth sparked major movements across history, both politically and culturally. Until the invention of the telescope by Galileo, the only way to view space was through your own two eyes. Even then, sailors were able to navigate the oceans, astronomers were able to predict eclipses, and astrologists were able to 'predict the future.'
 |
| An aurora created by light refraction in the Arctic |
The Space Race, a proxy for the Cold War, was one of the largest endeavors by the United States and the Soviet Union to send the first man to space as a demonstration of the power held by both countries. The accomplishments during this time put men on the moon, and it truly was "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Presently, we as a society know much more about space compared to fifty year ago. There are even plans for us to try and colonize other planets, primarily Mars at the moment.
 |
| Neil Armstrong standing on the moon |
The results from all of these space missions sparked international interest on the possibility of extraterrestrial life. If you have been relying on science-fiction (sic-fi) as your source for all things alien, you may be surprised that other life may not look like Chewbacca. It just shows that a lot of how we perceive outer space comes from our imagination, or the imagination of writers and movie directors. I think it is amazing how we hope that if there is other life not on Earth, we imagine sentient beings as resembling humans in some way.
 |
| Several different interpretations of what aliens may look like (Star Wars) |
Reference:
Anders, C. "10 Myths About Space Travel that Make Science Fiction Better."
i09.com. 22 Aug 2012. Web. 28 May 2015
Choi, C. "How 'Star Wars' Changed the World."
Space.org. 10 Aug 2010. Web. 28 May 2015
"Neil Armstrong."
Biography.com. n.d. Web. 28 May 2015
"Where no man has gone before." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 May 2015. Web. 28 May 2015.
"Impact of U.S. and Soviet Space Programs on World Opinion."
NASA.gov. 7 July 1959. Web. 28 May 2015. http://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/july59.html
I never really thought about how in a lot of sci-fi movies, aliens are shaped after us with a head, arms, legs, etc. But I agree, you shouldn't always believe Hollywood especially as vast as the universe is and with all the possibilities there are for life.
ReplyDelete