Science. It has given us the way of life that well all enjoy – and take for granted.
Everything we depend on in our daily lives is the result of science and the technology it has produced. We take for granted that when we turn a light switch, the light will come on. We listen to music and have faith that the radio or CD player will instantly spring to life. It is these basic necessities that have made every aspect of our life better – perhaps the best ever in the history of mankind.
The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) is circled in this image of the international space station.
From the alarm clock that marks the start of our day, to the nightlight that helps a 4 year old find the way to the bathroom at 2 am…it is all based on the availability of energy – electrical power – that we have, as a society, depended on since the beginning of the 20th century.
One of the last missions of the Space Shuttle Endeavour is focused on putting into orbit a $2 billion-dollar particle detector, known as the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, or AMS. The AMS will be fixed to the International Space Station, and is designed to, over the next 10 years, look for primordial antimatter created at the dawn of time – the Big Bang.
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/29/135811240/on-the-shuttle-a-2-billion-bid-to-find-antimatter
While laudable, and the results of the AMS experiment may well help define our basic knowledge of creation and particle physics – and will make a wonderful segment on the Science channel - other, more finite and serious challenges remain unaddressed. Challenges which are proven science – and while critical, are manageable. Of course, I refer to the known challenges of Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP).
The proven science – from the EMP Commission and historic events – indicates there are grave dangers – known dangers – to our electronic infrastructure from both natural and man-made EMP. This is real…this is current…and if we do not take appropriate action we will be in a situation in which we have no electrical current.
This challenge is not a 14 billion year legacy of the past – and we will spend large sums of money to study something and yet leave unaddressed and unfunded real protective measures that would help protect our power infrastructure – and way of life.
Oh – and this EMP issue – like the International Space Station – is global in nature. Solar weather and its effects could well damage much of the global power generation capabilities.
So – what is the solution? Is it to stop scientific research? No. But we have to deal realistically with the known likelihood of solar weather – and the likely employment of EMP weapons by rogue states – and the time to act is now.
HR 668 – the Shield Act – is stalled in the House. Now is the time for everyone to become knowledgeable of this bill – and its importance to providing the authority and funding to establish basic protections of our power infrastructure to prevent and mitigate the likely damage that will be caused by a major EMP event.
As we learn more about the universe – and the fact that there are events that cannot be presented by man – such as the Big Bang – there are things we can do to lessen the impact of these natural catastrophes – but that means being proactive. Now is the time to push Congress to deal with the issue of EMP…and protect our infrastructure…and keep that night light on for that 4 year old to make it to the bathroom in warmth and safety.
