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9 scientists share the biggest unanswered questions about life on Earth�
Nine scientists have shared their biggest unanswered questions about planet Earth, and some of them are truly mind-bending.�
Weve come far as a human race, but we still have so much more to uncover. For instance, we have only explored around 5% of the worlds oceans. But with so much exploring left to do, where do we start? These scientists have an inkling, which they shared with The Guardian in a recent article.�
Scientists have animals on the brain
Andy Purvis, from The Natural History Museum, lies awake at night wondering about how many creatures walk the earth.
He told the newspaper: Just how many different species of animals do we share the planet with? Estimates range from only 3 million to as many as 100 million, and theres not much sign that we are yet converging on an answer.
Similarly, Professor Alexandre Antonelli wondered about the sheer amount of animals in high-density rainforests like the Amazon and Congo Basin. Besides uncovering elusive information about evolution, he also argued that it could help in gaining more protection for the ecosystem.�
Dr Bonnie Waring thinks about creatures on a much smaller scale and questioned whether microbes could be the answer to the incoming climate crisis. She explained that humans know very little about them because their environment cant be recreated in a lab.�
“Yet the presence of particular microbes can help trees grow up to three times faster. Could these good microbes be some of our best allies in fighting climate change and promoting food security? she said.�
While we already know a lot about the connections between animals and the natural environment, Yadvinder Malhi is looking to delve deeper into them following a recent discovery.
He said: Just last month, I learned that spiders determine where plants grow and ecosystems recover after a volcanic eruption by catching seeds in their webs.
Looking to the past
Both Sandra Myrna Diaz and biologist Dr Corrie Moreau are focused on looking to the past to inform the future. Dr Moreau said that great information could be acquired by looking at the Cambrian Explosion when most major animal groups first appeared.�
Meanwhile, Sandra Myrna Diaz asked: Organisms from very different ancestry (including both animals and plants) seem to follow a limited number of general styles. What are the general, simple rules that govern the way they are put together, and what makes some of these styles much more successful on Earth than others?
Mother Earth is in danger
Conservation pioneer Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka wondered whether there is a way for society to develop and sustain the environment at the same time. After all, with the human population growing at an astronomical rate, the planet is the one suffering the most damage.
If we are able to live in balance, health and harmony with nature, how many more people will the Earth be able to accommodate? she asked.
Thinking further on environmental impact, Sir Robert Watson questioned: If I had to know one thing that is uncertain at the moment, it is whether, and if so when, the Gulf Stream will shut down abruptly, completely changing the climate in Europe, causing a drastic drop in temperatures with potentially catastrophic impacts on water and food security.
