Earth and space: comparative analysis and characteristics

¶ … Earth and space, with an ideal target audience of college-age readers. The differences between Earth and space are immense, but Earth could not function without space, while space could function quite well without Earth.

Earth and space co-exist effectively, but Earth is dependent on space.

Earth must have atmosphere and gravity from space.

Space does not depend on Earth.

Earth is just one speck in the universe, and many universes make up space.

Earth and Space

Earth and space have an interesting and vital relationship to one another. For example, Earth revolves around the sun, which is just another star in space, but that star is vital to life on our planet. If Earth was in a slightly different position in space, we might not receive enough warmth from the sun to sustain life, or we might be so hot no life could ever establish itself on our planet. Earth's place in space is perfect, and we, as humans, are dependent on that place for our lives and our well being. We are dependent on the atmosphere of Earth for air and our climate, the gravity that surrounds us is also dependent on our place in space, and how we move through our own galaxy. Earth, and where it is located in space, is just perfect for our specific needs. Space, on the other hand, is not survivable for us unless we go to great measures, and so space is inhospitable to us, while Earth is quite hospitable and healthy. While we have harnessed many technologies that allow us to live and work in space, it is much more comfortable for us to live and work on Earth, and it always will be.

While Earth is quite dependent on space for atmosphere, gravity, and our place in space, the space and galaxy surrounding us is not dependent on Earth at all. Our solar system would still revolve around the sun if Earth was not here, and the galaxy would still certainly exist if Earth suddenly disappeared. Earth is really just a tiny, tiny speck in the scheme of things, and because of this, our planet is really quite insignificant in our galaxy, which in turn is quite insignificant in the vastness of all of outer space. Space is so large; we do not know where it ends, or how large it really is. Space is infinite, but Earth is quite finite, and therefore, our planet does not make any real difference in the vastness of the universe that surround us. We might seem huge and important when seen from the moon, or from a space shuttle orbit, but from a far-away star, we are only another star among millions on the horizon. Space is so big it is incomprehensible, and because of that, the Earth does not matter at all in the real scheme of things. More importantly, space does not need Earth for oxygen, or gravity, or anything at all. The universe is so vast that one star or one planet cannot really affect the whole, any more than one grain of sand on Earth can affect the entire planet. One grain of sand is infinitesimal, and so are we in the universe. What is most interesting about our position in space is how we are so perfectly aligned for our life and well being, and yet we are really nothing more than a grain of sand in the ultimate scheme of things.