A view on space science and how it operates<\/p>\n
By Bambang Hidayat<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): In the past three decades our consciousness
\nabout space and the earth as a habitable planet has been
\ninfluenced by a new discipline which is called space science. In
\nmany ways space science has presented us with a new conception of
\nthe world.<\/p>\n
It made us realize that we live on a planet whose size is
\ndiminutive, whose resources are not unlimited and, due to its
\nunique position relative to the sun, can only ensure our lives
\nthrough a very sensitive, destructible, protective system.<\/p>\n
This is our atmosphere -- a very thin smear of atmospheric
\ngases. It is like a thin membrane covering the earth, yet it is
\nan active part of the system and creates within it a structure
\nand balance of gases which is essential to maintaining life.<\/p>\n
Without space science, and what it entails, namely space
\ntechnology, the facts cited above would not have been realized to
\nthe extent they have.<\/p>\n
The public often sees contradictory stories in the media about
\nglobal or climatic change or even about weather predictions.<\/p>\n
Not knowing how science operates, people could easily blame
\nthe meteorologist for not knowing his science. Worse still they
\ncould accuse science of fallacy, for not being able to produce
\n\"true information\".<\/p>\n
The obvious results from this ill-informed belief may be
\nsevere if policymakers decide to suspend any action until
\nscientists agree about what is happening.<\/p>\n
Seemingly controversial issues which bounce around actually
\nare the working mechanism in science which cannot escape from
\nsetting boundaries on the limits of knowledge.<\/p>\n
Most of us would have no difficulty in differentiating between
\nrisk and true uncertainty. The first is an event with a known
\nprobability and the second is an event with unknown probability.
\nPolicymakers like to make unambiguous, defensible decisions,
\nwhich are often codified into laws and regulations. Inherent
\nwithin this system is their desire to know the risk of what they
\nare doing, rather than a true scientific uncertainty.<\/p>\n
It is common nowadays for the public to read in newspapers
\nthat \"a respected scientific institution\" claims \"global warming
\nis coming\" and unless something is done to prevent it,
\ncatastrophe will occur. Not long afterward the same public will
\nhear from \"a reputable scientist\" that \"there is no direct
\nevidence for global warming\".<\/p>\n
Some people will react with: \"Don't waste money on something
\nthat may or may not happen\"; but other, more moderate people, are
\nlikely to adopt a more positive approach: \"Try to prove which is
\ntrue\". Both sources are certainly right in expressing their
\nfindings because they stress two different things.<\/p>\n
Considering what is known about future climate change, it is
\neasy to stress a wide range of uncertainties. We should recognize
\nthat what they know is substantial and useful information.<\/p>\n
An assertion of the magnitude of climatic change may come from
\nresearchers' inability to identify overlooked or underestimated
\nphysical effects that could reduce estimated global warnings due
\nto, for example, a doubling of carbon dioxide levels in the air.<\/p>\n
In order to narrow the limit of uncertainties, many new
\navenues of research are being encouraged.<\/p>\n
There should exist a healthy dichotomy between research and
\nnarrowing down the uncertainly. Regarding the case for global
\ntemperature increase, which is used as a fundamental measure of
\nthe effect of increasing trace gases, modeling studies of cloud
\neffects, surface hydrological and high-altitude response are
\namong the areas of study that should be pursued.<\/p>\n
Uncertainties can be obtained from all statistical methods
\nknown to scientists. The long university training, whether in
\nundergraduate or research laboratories, should be able to
\ncultivate this kind of culture so that the scientist-to-be gets
\nused to this salient feature of scientific work.<\/p>\n
Manipulation<\/p>\n
In general, scientists reach uncertainties rather than
\nabsolute precision. But when it is improperly disseminated, the
\nfindings could be mistaken by the public who usually associates
\nuncertainty with scientific results.<\/p>\n
Many results from space science have been propagated beyond
\nuniversity and academic walls. Some necessarily invade
\nlegislative offices. Space remote sensing is one of the versatile
\ninstruments to monitor land and natural habitat. In recent years
\nits results have been used to delineate national policies.<\/p>\n
It is our utmost concern that the language of the science of
\nremote sensing be made compatible with legislators' language.
\nAlthough legislative language is often open to interpretation,
\nregulations and rules are much easier to write and enforce if
\nthey are stated in absolute terms.<\/p>\n
Study of gas traces in an area provides information which is,
\nby nature, only certain within the study's epistemological and
\nmethodological limits. Regulators are increasingly confronted
\nwith the decision process of scientific certainty.<\/p>\n
But all of us know how difficult it is to deal with the recent
\nshift in environmental concerns from visible pollution and
\ndeforestation to subtle threats to life such as radon and
\ndehydrification.<\/p>\n
Scientists are often asked or pressured by legislators to
\nsupply such so-far-non-exact-information. When this happens, not
\nonly do frustration and poor communication prevail but also mixed
\nmessages appear in the media. Because of this uncertainty,
\nenvironmental issues are often manipulated by political and
\neconomic groups. Scientists coming late on to the scene and other
\npure-minded groups may be left in the dark, as is often the case
\nwith the pollution effects of toxic chemicals.<\/p>\n
The future<\/p>\n
Like other new technology, space technology creates many
\ntechnical spin-offs and new cultures. People who commit
\nthemselves to space technology are working at the highest levels
\nof technological developments in what is a technological age.
\nThey should also know the basic premises of technology as
\notherwise they will be degraded to being poor users of new
\ntechnology.<\/p>\n
An important characteristic of space technology is the great
\nchallenge of the hostile space environment. This threat alone,
\nwhich is also more severe in respect of material than is
\ngenerally known, forms energizing factors for scientific
\npursuits. It is a challenge for the scientists and engineers
\nconnected with and working in space technology. Ultimately it
\nfosters the birth of innovation in many fields of science and
\nhuman perception.<\/p>\n
In order to appreciate the meaning of the newly discovered
\nfrontier, a nation has to establish scientific knowledge which is
\na prerequisite for progress.<\/p>\n
Science literacy does not mean memorizing facts about science
\nand technology but it is a state of mind which enables one to
\nincorporate exogenous knowledge into the existing frames of
\nindigenous capabilities. Lectures on any level of education
\nshould be able to transmit basic concepts of science and
\ntechnology, rather than transferring the mere facts of data.
\nUncertainty in science should be presented in terms of errors in
\nmeasurements so that science students become aware of the power
\nand limitation of their knowledge.<\/p>\n
Many branches of space science are very close to the
\ndiscipline of basic science. As basic science is also supposed to
\nsatisfy one's \"innate curiosity\", teachers and educators should
\ndevelop the ability to arouse the interest of their pupils.<\/p>\n
One way to do that is to be very explicit about the humanistic
\naspects of space science and the processes which have led to any
\ndiscovery. The advances of science and technology need special
\nattention to the end that all citizens of modern society acquire
\nreasonable understanding of the subjects and that those with
\nspecial talents in space science find full opportunity to develop
\ntheir abilities.<\/p>\n
The writer is head of Bosscha Observatory and a lecturer in
\nthe School of Astronomy, Bandung Institute of Technology.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-view-on-space-science-and-how-it-operates-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}