barry.armstead
Posted:
Tue Mar 02, 2010 11:19 am
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 167
Location: canberra
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Ever given much more than a passing thought to how well protected and provided for we really are?
Let me start small and work my way out...
1. The wall of our cells protecting the inner workings of our cells
2. Our multi-layered and multi-functional skin, constantly migrating outward from new to old, protecting us from chemical and biological attack.
3. Our immune system, protecting us from other life - microbes, bacteria and viruses on this planet
4. The earth's thick atmosphere, burning up meteors and debris before it hits the ground.
5. The correct mix of oxygen, nitrogen and other trace gasses for breathing. Too much oxygen is just as deadly as not enough.
6. The ozone layer, a dangerous, poisonous corrosive and explosive gas that protects us from the sun's UV radiation
7. The earth's electromagnetic field, protecting us from solar winds
8. The distance of our moon, giving us tides and weather
9. The tilt of the earth, distributing temperature and giving us seasons
10. The spin of the earth, combined with the land and water surfaces, regulating temperature from hot to cold to keep a reasonable and habitable range for life here
11. The distance of the earth from the sun-any closer, cook, any further, freeze.
12. The gas giants, sweeping and absorbing all the debris around the solar system, leaving less to impact us
13. The placement of the solar system between two spiral arms of the Milky Way Galaxy, safer than right in one near the tidal forces of other star systems.
14. Our distance from our VERY crowded and dangerous galactic center
15. The possibility of a super-massive black hole in the center of the Milky way, providing the mass and gravity to act as an anchor to stop all the stars from spinning off into the voids of the universe.
This is a short-list and doesn't even scratch the surface of how everything works together to provide long-term stability for life.
All of these dependent systems work together to provide us with a unique and perfect place to survive for a very long time. If even one of these systems are changed or removed, a lot of very bad things can happen.
Think about it.
Baz.
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