Stories and News No. 1319
Yes, I know, it's trivial as a premise. I'm referring to the fact that seeing things from the other person's angle helps to understand them. Nonetheless, I will never tire of repeating it: I believe it applies to everything, living creatures and inanimate things. Even with the greatest among them, in the midst of what directly concerns us, the one that contains them all: the Earth.
Therefore, I am about to discuss a recent news by putting myself in the shoes of the latter, in this case personally interested.
Thus, in the immodest guise of the Earth, I read that one of the most powerful and populous nations that I carry on my shoulders, China, intends to pierce my surface through one of the deepest holes in history.
It goes without saying how much this worries me as the planet most underestimated by its own inhabitants, which happens to be the only one they have.
Therefore, I ask myself: why, with so many things to do for me - which means for you too -, do you start digging a huge hole?
Imagine living in a house with a frightening amount of problems, between the water coming through the roof when it rains to the heating running on cap, drafts everywhere because the windows are shattered and so much mold on the walls that it now looks like a bizarre wallpaper. And what idea does the tenants get? Come on, let's make a hole! Another one?!
Nonetheless, I want to trust humans, whom I have always loved as a mother does with her children – my true original sin, says the moon – and I read better to get further details on this incredibly expensive initiative.
So I learn that the aforementioned hole, a sort of narrow and very long shaft, will be 11,000 meters long, will penetrate more than 10 continental layers and will reach the Cretaceous system, where there are rocks dating back to about 145 million years ago.
I was immediately worried about how long I'd have to stay there to endure this painful operation, but the newspapers reassured me: no more than 457 days.
I am amazed by this precision in the choice of number, well, and of this defect of mine, in addition to the moon, according to the stars. They argue that I should have long since stopped dwelling on the amazement at your inventions and that instead I should feel only indignation and anger. On the other hand, as they say, everyone speaks and feels according to the different point of view from which they observe things.
Nonetheless, I'm old, but I'm not completely dumbfounded yet, and the most important question I don't intend to ignore at all: why? That is, precisely because of the above metaphor on housing, why a hole? And so extraordinarily profound, gosh.
I try to find out even better and so I find a press statement: the hole will be "a landmark in China's exploration of the deep Earth".
I understand. But why, with all the above issues, etc., would you want to spend billions exploring the depths of mine? It would be like drilling another hole in the bottom of a sinking boat, or am I wrong?
They explain to me that they wish to study the areas in my depths.
Beautiful and it would also be commendable, but why do it, given that even today it seems to me that you have not understood anything of what is on the surface?
Going forward in the article, I arrive at exhaustive information: the deep exploration will allow scientists to discover something new about the internal structure and evolution of the Earth, as well as provide data for geoscientific research.
Well, now everything is clear to me and I calm down. They are scientists, i.e. individuals moved by curiosity and desire to learn. From the desire to get to know myself better, in short. So, to congratulate, I try to figure out who I have the honor to talk to and… yes, finally I get all the answers that were missing by finding the name of the company that is in charge of the project: China National Petroleum Corporation, the main oil producer and gas in the country.
Maybe the moon, the stars and all the other celestial bodies are right that it's time to wake me up before it's too late...