and animal life, from the microscopic plankton to the giant 

 whales. Although Man is gradually making the whales ex- 

 tinct, the vast food supplies available in plankton could 

 possibly be of importance in the future when land for agri- 

 culture begins to run short. Investigation of the life in 

 Antarctic waters is therefore a significant part of the re- 

 seach programme there. 



The exploration of space, started in 1957 with the or- 

 biting of an artificial terrestrial satellite at an altitude of 

 about 200 miles, is now progressing rapidly with several 

 other countries besides the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A. also 

 contributing toward the general effort. The latest satel- 

 lites are providing very large quantities of data on world 

 cloud distribution; are measuring the heat radiation lost by 

 the Earth into space; and are being used to study the Sun 

 from above the atmosphere in a range of wavelengths from 

 X-rays to radio waves. In addition, two rocket probes have 

 reached the Moon, and others are on their way to Venus 

 and Mars. There seems little doubt that exploratory vehicles 

 will be operating on the lunar surface soon, and that im- 

 portant physical information on Venus and Mars will be 

 obtained in due course. The nature of space studies is such 

 as to provide scientists with a strong incentive to join in 

 international collaboration, which may lead to the Moon 

 being held for research for 10 or more years before any 

 attempts are made to found colonies there. 



The development of world-wide communication sys- 

 tems, based on the relaying of telephone and television sig- 

 nals from surface transmitters via satellites to distant 

 receiving points around the Earth, is being energetically 

 pursued at present with successful first results, and would 

 make possible important practical educational facilities for 

 peoples lacking modem skills to help them achieve efficient 

 economies. 



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