Introduction Hello This is planet Earth And see that little spot over there That’s where you live But have you ever wondered why and how you got there Because your parents decided to buy or rent a house or apartment there right But why there How did that happen And what made living there possible The real story behind where you live is actually full of surprising twists and turns you probably have never thought of Everybody adapts When you look in the mirror (cid:155)(cid:145)(cid:151)(cid:3)(cid:134)(cid:145)(cid:144)(cid:495)(cid:150)(cid:3)(cid:149)(cid:135)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:131)(cid:3)(cid:133)(cid:131)(cid:150)(cid:481)(cid:3)(cid:132)(cid:139)(cid:148)(cid:134)(cid:481)(cid:3)(cid:145)(cid:148)(cid:3)(cid:976)(cid:139)(cid:149)(cid:138)(cid:3) looking back at you You’re a human But here’s something you do share with all those furry feathered and scaled creatures you’ve adapted to the place where you live Not like other animals have though You don’t grow extra fur to keep you warm for the winter feathers (cid:150)(cid:145)(cid:3)(cid:976)(cid:142)(cid:155)(cid:3)(cid:142)(cid:145)(cid:144)(cid:137)(cid:3)(cid:134)(cid:139)(cid:149)(cid:150)(cid:131)(cid:144)(cid:133)(cid:135)(cid:149)(cid:481)(cid:3)(cid:145)(cid:148)(cid:3)(cid:137)(cid:139)(cid:142)(cid:142)(cid:149)(cid:3)(cid:150)(cid:145)(cid:3) live under water Instead over thousands of years we humans (cid:138)(cid:131)(cid:152)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:131)(cid:134)(cid:131)(cid:146)(cid:150)(cid:135)(cid:134)(cid:3)(cid:132)(cid:155)(cid:3)(cid:976)(cid:139)(cid:144)(cid:134)(cid:139)(cid:144)(cid:137)(cid:3)(cid:153)(cid:131)(cid:155)(cid:149)(cid:3)(cid:150)(cid:145)(cid:3) spread out and make homes all over the planet As humans we’ve adapted by using what makes us unlike any other species our brainpower our communication skills and our unique ability to work together to live in all kinds of places no matter how imperfect they are Big brains come in handy In a few cases the locations we choose give us exactly what we need to survive easily warm weather safe drinking water plenty of food to eat and the materials we need to create shelter The problem is there are only so many perfect places here on planet Earth In fact in many areas of the world the settings we call home are far from ideal They’re steaming hot Or freezing cold Or dry as a dog bone Maybe they’re even areas exposed to earthquakes tornadoes tsunamis or active volcanoes Why would anyone want to live in uncomfortable or dangerous places Maybe because we’ve (cid:976)(cid:139)(cid:137)(cid:151)(cid:148)(cid:135)(cid:134)(cid:3)(cid:145)(cid:151)(cid:150)(cid:3)(cid:138)(cid:145)(cid:153)(cid:488)(cid:3)(cid:26)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:133)(cid:131)(cid:144)(cid:3)(cid:142)(cid:139)(cid:152)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:139)(cid:144)(cid:3) cold climates because we pull energy from the Earth to heat our homes We’ve even found ways to shift water closer to our towns (cid:131)(cid:144)(cid:134)(cid:3)(cid:133)(cid:139)(cid:150)(cid:139)(cid:135)(cid:149)(cid:3)(cid:149)(cid:145)(cid:3)(cid:153)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:133)(cid:131)(cid:144)(cid:3)(cid:134)(cid:148)(cid:139)(cid:144)(cid:141)(cid:3)(cid:139)(cid:150)(cid:481)(cid:3)(cid:976)(cid:142)(cid:151)(cid:149)(cid:138)(cid:3) it and feed our vegetables with it (cid:23)(cid:138)(cid:131)(cid:150)(cid:495)(cid:149)(cid:3)(cid:131)(cid:143)(cid:131)(cid:156)(cid:139)(cid:144)(cid:137)(cid:488) 4
Needs wants and nice to haves Still let’s be clear here when it comes to adapting to our environment or making the environment adapt to our needs we’ve done much more than simply create a nest or a burrow for our families to live in That works for animals but we want more than just a roof over our heads That’s why over time we’ve worked together to build towns and cities that offer speedy transportation good schools lots of jobs and neighborhoods that make us feel welcome happy and safe All these perks are incredibly important to people So much so that without them many of us would choose to pick up and move somewhere else Why We Live Where We Live is about how we humans have managed to evolve or change to live in sync with our planet and how we mold our environment to suit our needs big and small But that’s only part of the story The BIG QUESTION is What drives us to go to such lengths (cid:139)(cid:144)(cid:3)(cid:150)(cid:138)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:976)(cid:139)(cid:148)(cid:149)(cid:150)(cid:3)(cid:146)(cid:142)(cid:131)(cid:133)(cid:135)(cid:491)(cid:3)(cid:26)(cid:138)(cid:155)(cid:3)(cid:134)(cid:145)(cid:3)(cid:153)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:132)(cid:145)(cid:150)(cid:138)(cid:135)(cid:148)(cid:491) So why do you live where you live How is it even possible Turn the page You’re about to fi nd out
Planet Perfect Welcome to Earth home sweet home for the past 200,000 years But why do we all live here on Earth and not say the Moon Jupiter or some faraway planet Because we can Or to put it another way because we can’t live anywhere else yet This planet is just right Remember the old story about Goldilocks and the three bears Well just like the girl who decided the baby bear’s porridge suited (cid:138)(cid:135)(cid:148)(cid:3)(cid:976)(cid:139)(cid:144)(cid:135)(cid:481)(cid:3)(cid:146)(cid:142)(cid:131)(cid:144)(cid:135)(cid:150)(cid:149)(cid:3)(cid:144)(cid:135)(cid:135)(cid:134)(cid:3)(cid:133)(cid:145)(cid:144)(cid:134)(cid:139)(cid:150)(cid:139)(cid:145)(cid:144)(cid:149)(cid:3)(cid:150)(cid:138)(cid:131)(cid:150)(cid:3)(cid:131)(cid:148)(cid:135)(cid:3) just right in order for life to thrive In other words a planet must exist in a habitable zone also known as a life zone or a Goldilocks zone Earth is one of these planets It’s (cid:520)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:150)(cid:138)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:148)(cid:139)(cid:137)(cid:138)(cid:150)(cid:3)(cid:134)(cid:139)(cid:149)(cid:150)(cid:131)(cid:144)(cid:133)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:136)(cid:148)(cid:145)(cid:143)(cid:3)(cid:145)(cid:151)(cid:148)(cid:3)(cid:138)(cid:145)(cid:143)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:149)(cid:150)(cid:131)(cid:148)(cid:3) the Sun so the surface isn’t too hot or too cold (cid:520)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:149)(cid:145)(cid:142)(cid:139)(cid:134)(cid:481)(cid:3)(cid:144)(cid:145)(cid:150)(cid:3)(cid:131)(cid:3)(cid:137)(cid:139)(cid:131)(cid:144)(cid:150)(cid:3)(cid:132)(cid:131)(cid:142)(cid:142)(cid:3)(cid:145)(cid:136)(cid:3)(cid:138)(cid:155)(cid:134)(cid:148)(cid:145)(cid:137)(cid:135)(cid:144)(cid:481)(cid:3) helium or some other gas (cid:520)(cid:3)(cid:133)(cid:145)(cid:152)(cid:135)(cid:148)(cid:135)(cid:134)(cid:3)(cid:139)(cid:144)(cid:3)(cid:153)(cid:131)(cid:150)(cid:135)(cid:148) (cid:520)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:131)(cid:3)(cid:146)(cid:142)(cid:131)(cid:144)(cid:135)(cid:150)(cid:3)(cid:153)(cid:139)(cid:150)(cid:138)(cid:3)(cid:132)(cid:148)(cid:135)(cid:131)(cid:150)(cid:138)(cid:131)(cid:132)(cid:142)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:131)(cid:150)(cid:143)(cid:145)(cid:149)(cid:146)(cid:138)(cid:135)(cid:148)(cid:135)(cid:3) air This air also comes in handy for carrying pollen from one plant to another helping birds insects and (cid:146)(cid:142)(cid:131)(cid:144)(cid:135)(cid:149)(cid:3)(cid:976)(cid:142)(cid:155)(cid:482)(cid:3)(cid:131)(cid:144)(cid:134)(cid:3)(cid:135)(cid:152)(cid:135)(cid:144)(cid:3)(cid:136)(cid:145)(cid:148)(cid:3)(cid:150)(cid:131)(cid:142)(cid:141)(cid:139)(cid:144)(cid:137)(cid:3)(cid:523)(cid:149)(cid:145)(cid:151)(cid:144)(cid:134)(cid:3) waves need air to travel (cid:520)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:149)(cid:138)(cid:139)(cid:135)(cid:142)(cid:134)(cid:135)(cid:134)(cid:3)(cid:136)(cid:148)(cid:145)(cid:143)(cid:3)(cid:150)(cid:138)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:22)(cid:151)(cid:144)(cid:495)(cid:149)(cid:3)(cid:134)(cid:131)(cid:144)(cid:137)(cid:135)(cid:148)(cid:145)(cid:151)(cid:149)(cid:3) radiation by its atmosphere something that also holds heat so we can stay comfortable most of the year (cid:520)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:131)(cid:3)(cid:146)(cid:142)(cid:131)(cid:133)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:153)(cid:139)(cid:150)(cid:138)(cid:3)(cid:137)(cid:148)(cid:131)(cid:152)(cid:139)(cid:150)(cid:155)(cid:3)(cid:523)(cid:150)(cid:138)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:136)(cid:145)(cid:148)(cid:133)(cid:135)(cid:3)(cid:145)(cid:136)(cid:3) attraction between objects like the Earth and you to keep us from lifting off into the sky See We live on Earth because it provides us with all the essential things humans plants and other animals need to exist 6
Atmosphere the number one shield Shooting stars are pretty right You wouldn’t think so if one actually hit your home Our atmosphere doesn’t just shield us from ultraviolet rays it’s also the only thing between us and objects whizzing toward us from outer space When meteors also called shooting stars enter our atmosphere friction causes them to burn up Even if some make it through they’re a lot smaller than they would have been and pack less destructive power Without an atmosphere Earth would be a more dangerous place to live if we survived the blasts at all Are we alone out here The results are in Earth is pretty special Still there are supposedly hundreds of billions of planets and stars in the universe It doesn’t seem possible that Earth is the only one that has the right stuff for life Some scientists and astronomers believe there are other planets that can support simple cells and other organisms but for now Earth is the only one we know of that has it all Think about that the next time you look up at the dark starry sky and wonder if someone’s looking back at you Fact or fi ction In 2013 using a very powerful telescope scientists discovered three planets that could potentially support life FACT The planets are called Kepler-62e Kepler-62f and Kepler-69c and it’s possible they’re made up of land and water just like Earth Exciting right But before you consider setting off to explore there’s something you should know they’re really really far away at least 1,200 light-years away Just one light-year the distance light travels in space in one year is nearly 6 trillion mi 9 5 trillion km With the space technology we use now settling these planets is impossible 7
