Have we discovered anything in space that we now use in everyday life?
From the early days of human civilisation, astronomy has had an impact on our culture and technology.
A pure science like astronomy rarely contributes directly to our everyday lives – although, of course, it adds to our scientific, philosophical and cultural experience of the cosmos. The processes and phenomena discovered in space are generally of such a scale (in size, time or energy, for example) that they have little relation to the human experience. However, a notable exception is the research on nuclear processes occurring in stars which indirectly led to the development of nuclear power (and weapons).
Beyond that, we could list technologies prevalent in everyday life that were originally developed for astronomy (like digital cameras and MRI scanners) or discoveries actually made in space (on the ISS, for example) which have led to important innovations (including pharmaceuticals, or treatments for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s). Of course, every time you check the time you are using the astronomical discoveries of humankind.
Read more:
- Are there any quantum effects that we can see in everyday life?
- Who really discovered GPS?
- Do we use nanotechnology in everyday life?
- Who really discovered nuclear fission?
Asked by: Shaun Doyle, Belfast
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- This article first appeared in issue 373 of BBC Science Focus Magazine – find out how to subscribe here
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