It is a fact that some government are spending billions of dollars on space research each year. Recently, the USA announced that more money would be spent on their space programs. Meanwhile diseases like AIDS and cancer are continuing to claim the lives of more and more people.
Certainly, an awareness of what is occurring out beyond our earth is an interesting endeavour for those working in the field of science. Space exploration is the cause of many thousands of jobs around the world. Additionally, an awareness of the movements of planets and meteorites and the possibility that they may fall to earth helps us to be prepared if such a thing should happen.
It must be pointed out that the probability of a meteorite crashing to earth and killing thousands of people is very low. What will continue however, are the deaths of thousands and thousands of people caused by rampant diseases and illnesses throughout our planet. Many of these diseases are multiplied due to a lack of knowledge about them – ignorance is costly. Time and money spent on learning more effective ways to control or even eliminate them has the potential to help immeasurably the lives of people who are suffering and in pain. Consider the relief of a man in Africa suffering from disease once thought to be incurable but, due to research, a solution to his problem is found. Would the discovery of a new moon on Jupiter help this man? I think not.
The alleviation of human suffering through health research is more important than space programs and research. The basic value of human life makes it clear that improving human health is a wiser use of government money.
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