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NEWS > SCIENCE > NASA MULLING SATURN-LIKE RINGS FOR EARTH
NASA MULLING SATURN-LIKE RINGS FOR EARTH
December 5 2009
Washington, D.C. – Of the many compelling and beautiful sites the universe offers us, none have been as enduring and compelling as the rings of Saturn. The rings, a collection of ice and dust held by the gravitational pull of the planet, have perplexed 
and amazed science from the moment they were first observed by Galileo. Though theories abound as to the nature of the rings and how they formed, the commonly accepted theory is that they are rooted in the destruction of a small moon that once orbited the planet with the remains unable to escape into space, or fall to the planet’s surface.
Whatever the reason for their formation, the rings have sparked the imagination of amateur and professional astronomers for years and made the planet one of the most interesting for casual observers. Now NASA has begun exploring the possibility of creating rings for our own planet to try and reignite interest in space exploration. Though still in the early stages, the plan would involve destroying our own moon and 
allowing the natural gravitational pull of the planet to eventually form Saturn-like rings. Though such an act could potentially endanger life on Earth, would disrupt tidal flow, and possibly result in a destabilization of the planet, NASA officials believe that the benefits far outweigh the risks.
“Well, we all saw this video on the internet which speculated what the view of rings would look like from Earth and it was absolutely amazing. The sight of those rings from major cities would be absolutely beautiful and we believe spark the imaginations of people all across the world and help to refocus attention on the space program,” said a NASA spokesperson. “We do recognize the inherent dangers associated with obliterating a near orbit body, especially one that actually has a direct effect on the planet, but we are accounting for that and we will take any possible danger into account when we make our decision. There are also technical limitations but we’ve proven that we can hit the moon, now we need to knock it home.”
Earlier this year NASA slammed a satellite into the surface of the moon hoping to get a sample of dust from the surface. That experiment was largely ineffective.
“It would be a big change to be sure. Yes, the rings of Saturn are very compelling but the moon has also helped to shape the nature of human culture. For as long as human beings have been aware of their existence the moon has played a major role in defining that existence and the loss of that will be difficult to adjust to,” said Scrape TV Science analyst Dr. Howard Poe. “The rings though would be a nice replacement. I too have seen the video and it was very compelling. True, many people would have difficulty adjusting but that is the case with anything. You can’t hold back progress because a few people don’t want to let go of the past.”
Aside from looking pretty at night, the moon is also responsible for the tides on our oceans, the absence of which would dramatically affect marine life. Other potential risks include huge sections of the moon crashing into Earth creating a nuclear winter and a near orbit detonation evaporating the atmosphere.
“If successful it would be the biggest achievement in the history of human kind. We have defined ourselves through our ability to affect the environment that we have been given and this would be the ultimate example of that ability to affect change to the natural world and for that reason alone it is worth considering,” continued Poe. “The moon, as comfortable as it is, hasn’t aged well. NASA is continuing to struggle with major budget issues and if this could potentially bring some support back to space exploration it might very well be worth the risk and the loss.”
The creator of the video, Roy Prol, could not be reached for comment but has reportedly never been a fan of the moon.
Anna Phillips, Science Correspondent
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