This article was taken from the March 2014 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online. "The challenge and excitement of future exploration lies in how we ask the questions. We can collect more data: new technology means we can remotely 'see' more, 'hear' more and even 'go' to more places -- from recording sound deep inside cavities underneath ice shelves, to sampling ice more than 3,000 metres into an ice sheet, to measuring the subtle changes in Earth's gravity caused by ice melt. But it's creative thinking and human observations that will help us understand the data so we can ask the most interesting and useful questions."
Sylvia Earle National Geographic Explorer in Residence; Founder, Mission Blue "Exploring Earth means getting serious about exploring the living ocean, the part of the planet that is least known, yet most relevant to life. We must engage the human presence high in the sky, on the surface and within the great depths to oversee technologies needed to gather and synthesise data on an unprecedented scale. New technologies are enhancing the quality and quantity of data acquisition, but there is no substitute for being there."
Robin Hanbury-Tenison Conservationist, explorer and author
"As we abuse our planet with pollutants and emissions, the realisation is dawning that we hardly understand how it functions.
It behoves us to explore every aspect, especially remote places such as the rainforest canopy, the deep oceans and the remaining wildernesses, where so much remains undiscovered. Barely seven per cent of life on Earth has been properly examined. This should be the age of exploration."
Bertrand Piccard Cofounder, Solar Impulse
"Explorers conquered the planet in the 20th century. I hope that the future of exploration will allow humankind to attain a better quality of life, conquering poverty, medical research, human rights, sustainable development, renewable energies and protection of the environment. But for this to happen, we need to have exploration-minded people in every government, with innovative ways of thinking in order to improve the world's governance."
Liz Taylor President and CEO, DOER Marine
"The oceans are the least explored and most challenging regions of Earth. In the next 20 years, the advances that have driven robotic development, including oil- and pressure-tolerant components, fibre optics, battery chemistries and materials, will help to bring to bear the next generation of ocean submersibles. Public-private partnerships and philanthropy will continue to bridge knowledge gaps about our big, blue life-support system."
Alan Nichols President, The Explorers Club
"Technology is giving us the tools to make new discoveries, and this will continue. In my own case I have been able to confirm my hypothesis about the potential burial location of Genghis Khan by the use of magnetometry - mapping patterns of magnetism in soil that indicate ancient activity. The Explorers Club has over 60 such 'flag' expeditions each year, with the aim of adding to the world's knowledge."
Helen Thayer Explorer
"The next 20 years of exploration should emphasise issues that will benefit humanity, particularly in the developing world.
Exploring technology that will provide clean water to indigenous cultures will eliminate many diseases. Wildlife is another important issue. Discovering and documenting rare species before they are wiped out is imperative. Exploring the world of medicinal plants and finding ways to use them in modern-day medicine will also benefit people worldwide."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
