QUESTION:
Why do we want to learn so much about space?

ANSWER from R.J. Haw on February 22,  1996:
I suppose the source of this inquisitiveness about nature in general lies
in the nature of our brains and the way we evolved as a species.  Our
brains are really devices endowed to us by nature over many hundreds of
millions of years of evolution that allow us to interpret and understand
the place we live in.  In short, by being aware of our surroundings and
'figuring out' how everything works, we become capable of predicting the
future.  Now, I most definitely do not intend 'prediction' to be
interpreted in a mystical, psychic sort of way.  My meaning is actually
very simple, since you and I (and everyone) behave this way everyday. 
That is, it's stuff like:  when you see dark clouds in the sky, it's going
to rain (or snow): when you see both hands on the clock point to twelve,
it's time to break for lunch; or, if you see someone you don't know
advancing toward you with a drawn bow and arrow, then you should probably
run away.  So the brain is very useful in telling us what to do in order
to survive. 

Consider dogs.  They're pretty smart, as animals go.  If they see you
opening a can with a picture of a dog on it, they know that's dinner. 
They can foretell the future by interpreting something that is happening
NOW.  And that's their brain working.  And just as we are smarter that
dogs (because of a bigger brain), dogs are smarter than slugs.  Few, if
any, slugs can foretell the future in the ways I've described.  So the
point of this is to point out that while strong muscles and big teeth help
animals survive (even thrive), a big "head" muscle is also important
because it tells you in advance where those big teeth might be hiding. 

What's that got to do with space?  Well, space is just an extention of our
Earthly environment.  Since being curious about our environment is really
very desirable, as I've pointed out (otherwise something might 'getcha'!),
learning about space is just a normal consequence of people wanting to
know what is happening around them.  We've learned a lot about Earth, the
next step is space.  Of course the learning and machines have become very
sophisticated, but the basic drive beneath all that is still the same.