Tuesday 19 May 2015

Science saves us from our anthropocentrism


Man has a natural tendency to construct a world view that puts himself in the middle. This is logical. If we look at the observable world, we are in the middle. However, science has already taught us a few lessons and these lessons may lead to modesty.

We used to think we lived on a flat Earth, and Europe (Rome) was in the middle, until we learned the Earth was a sphere, and a sphere doesn't have a middle on the habitable surface. We used to think the Sun circled the Earth until the great "liar" Copernicus told us the Earth circled the Sun. We learned the sun is not in the middle of our galaxy, but at the edge. We used to think the galaxies are moving away from us until we realised the other galaxies see exactly the same from their point of view.

In biology, the same is happening. We already know that we are just one recent branch of a larger collection of humanoids that happened to survive. In biological history, we are not in the middle, we are rather newcomers in life on Earth.

As science also progresses in neurobiology, a new awareness is seizing us: we may not be the only ones who have "consciousness". We have a natural tendency to think we are the only ones, because we can't communicate with other species very well. Moreover, our failure to recognise the consciousness of animals helps us in worrying less about treating them badly or slaughtering them.

Why would an animal not have a consciousness? I think even insects have some sort of consciousness. I learned this while chasing mosquitoes at home. But an even more challenging idea came from a former colleague of mine: how can we be sure an atom doesn't have consciousness? Basically, we are not sure. It is possible. In fact, it is even a great idea...although not verifiable today and therefore it can also be classified as a "flying teapot" idea (Bertrand Russell).

There is an important general caveat with this blog: the title is merely an observation. I don't mean to say that science releases us from our anthropocentrism - on purpose - like if some kind of deity wanted to make us more humble. (Some deities have tried this in the past - it didn't work very well :-))

I also refer to my blog SETI and to my dutch blog Ziel en Lichaam.

Monday 11 May 2015

Disaster relief management


Disasters occur more than ever. This is reality and perception at the same time. It is reality, because climate change is a reality. People also settle at more places on earth, and expose themselves to additional risks. But it is also perception, because we are better informed about what happens on this globe.

Our communication needs have grown considerably in recent years. When then a disaster occurs, the communication needs for the affected region explode. On the one hand, the traditional communication means, telephone, cable TV and fibre networks may be damaged. On the other hand, the population calls for help, the civil protection services need to communicate to a crisis centre, the press needs to transmit images and hospitals need assistance.

In such case satellites and satellite terminals are an ideal means to restore communications. They can also play a role in the coordination of humanitarian convoys, coming from the neighbour countries. Navigation satellites and earth observation satellites can also play an important role in the prediction and detection of additional floods, earthquakes or tsunamis or to assess the size of the disaster.

See also:

EMERGENCY.LU DEPLOYING IN RESPONSE TO THE EARTHQUAKE IN NEPAL

and watch the video of emergency.lu