The world is a big and scary place, but every now-and-then we figure something out that shines some light into the dark corners of our existence.
While the effects of these discoveries and ventures might not be felt immediately, they will surely change the direction of human civilization.
This is the story of a deadly virus, a shy particle, and a red rock and how they have and will change our lives.
An unknown illness began to spread around the world in the 1960s that caught everyone by surprise by its adaptability, stealth and lethality, which has come to be known as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
Nearly two million die and another 2.5 million infected annually by this disease has caused it to become one of the great epidemics of this century. After four decades of battling this nemesis, doctors have finally struck a blow that may lead to a cure.
In March, it had been announced that a group of 14 people had been functionally cured which means that virus is still in the body but at a low enough level that the body can naturally fight it without the disease manifesting.
This functional cure was achieved by attacking the HIV within three months of detection and maintaining an antiviral regimen for several years, but after stopping medication a lucky group of 14 of the original 70 were able to keep the virus at bay.
With more study and testing, we might finally be on the path to ending the suffering of millions. No matter how big we thing we are, the smallest things have a habit of reminding us to be humble, and the swarm of sub-atomic particles provide no greater example.
Since the discovery of gravity by Newton in the 17th century, it has remained a mystery unlike the other three forces of the universe in that the particle that transfers the energy and enacts the force of gravity has not been discovered.
All we have been able to do is predict the effects of gravity, which relies on understanding the mass of the objects; and like gravity, we had no idea what gave objects their mass.
That was until March of this year, when the discovery of the Higgs Boson was confirmed by scientists from the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland.
This particle was the theoretical foundation for the Higgs Field, a universal net that caught all the other particles and the drag produced between them gave their mass.
Finding the Higgs has removed our ignorance of a fundamental reason for why things exist in the state that they do. It is can be likened to the days when we did not understand electricity just over a hundred years ago.
The possibilities that have been opened up to us by the discovery of the Higgs boson and Field will be as boundless as discovering the electron. We will continue to push the bounds of our understanding of the universe, as well as expanding into it.
Our entire history has taken place on this one tiny rock that is shielded by a paper-thin layer of air, and our actions have forced every natural system into a decline.
In fact, we are living through a mass extinction event, with the loss of 27,000 species annually compared to previous mass extinction rates of 10-100 species a year.
With another two to three billion people being added to our population levels in the next four decades, it is clear that we can no longer call Earth our only home.
In the pursuit of a new home, a group of leading aerospace companies have gathered under the Mars One banner to establish the first permanent human colony on our dusty-red neighbor.
As of last month, the Mars One program has begun its open enrollment for the first colonists who will begin arrive on the Red Planet in 2023.
Over 33,000 people in the first week from around the world have already applied to possibly be the first humans on Mars.
After a series of supply and rover missions to establish a base camp, the select group of 24 people who hail from all unique countries and cultures will travel the void of space for seven months to a new home- a new beginning.
They will have the opportunity to construct a human civilization without the baggage of Earth, yet at the same time providing inspiration and technology to those of us still on the third rock from the sun.
Mars One can achieve their goals with the same amount of money that the U.S. spends on its military in three days: $6 billion.
The cost of not moving beyond our home-world would be condemning the human race in body and spirit, so let us invest in our selves and take the brave steps forward into the unknown.
We are a uniquely curious, creative and courageous bunch who go above and beyond to survive.
An ice age did not have the power to stomp put the last few thousand humans, all the plagues we have suffered have been defeated, and every war conquered by peace.
It is difficult to see or appreciate these miracles of humanity in the day-to-day grind, but they are no less true; and we continue this tradition with every disease cured, discovery made, and frontier journeyed. This truly is a bold world that we live in and it is our duty to explore it to the fullest.
Grant Vargas
Senior Viewpoints Editor
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