That’s a lot of money!
Earth may be the most precious planet we know… well, it’s our home. But apparently, it isn’t priceless.
Photo via Science | How Things Work
According to Mental Floss, the Earth’s resources and the value it offers to humans add up to some unknown tangible cost. The species may never have to worry about buying or selling the world, but thinking of it in terms of concrete numbers can help us better understand its value.
One scientist has developed a special formula that allows us to do just that!
According to the calculations of Greg Laughlin, an assistant astronomy and astrophysics professor from the University of California, Santa Cruz, the Earth is worth a whopping $5 quadrillion! Or $5,000,000,000,000,000.
He came up with that price after gauging the planet’s mass, temperature, age, and other factors that directly correlate to its ability to sustain life.
Photo via Forbes
Laughlin also estimated the worth of other planets in our solar system. Our nearest neighbor, Mars, costs about the same as a used car at $16,000. Hmmm….
And apparently, Venus is valued at only one cent. Can we buy this now?
Laughlin doesn’t expect these numbers to have applications in the real world, however he hopes this will inspire people to better appreciate the only home they know.
We only have THIS home, so it’s our role to take care of it!
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
