‘What If’ Scenarios on the Moon Explored: Top 3 Picks

‘What if’ questions can be quite fun and typically lead to a lot of learning. In the spirit of Chandrayaan-3 recently making history by soft-landing on the south pole of the moon, let’s take a look at a few popular ‘What if’ questions regarding the moon. Are you ready? Let’s go!

What if you were born on the moon?

Being born on the moon, away from the chaotic earth, may seem like a wonderful idea. However, it comes with its own set of challenges. 

Here are some things that could potentially happen:

• If you were born on the moon, your body would naturally create a life support system to protect you from harmful radiation, extreme temperatures and other environmental hazards, much like how fish can breathe while being submerged in water. You might have skin colours that don’t exist on earth, such as blue, green, purple and so on.
• You might need to get food from people on earth because it is difficult, but not impossible, to grow food on the moon. Or, who knows, you might find a new way to grow food that is strange to the people of earth.
• Because the moon has less gravity, you can jump really high and move around without much effort. But because there is less gravity, your bones and muscles might not get as strong because they don’t have to work as hard to support your weight. Over time, this could lead to weaker muscles and less dense bones. It means that you could live comfortably on the moon, but going to earth, where the gravity is six times stronger, would be hard. 

What if you get stranded on the moon?

Almost all of us have heard tales about how gorgeous the moon is since we were children. Some of us may wonder what it would be like to be by ourselves on the moon, since it seems to be so lovely and peaceful at night. However, without the safety equipment, it would be very difficult and even fatal. 

Here are some key reasons for that:

• The moon has a thin atmosphere, and it will be hard for you to breathe there. 
• You would then be constantly exposed to galactic cosmic rays (GCR). This prolonged exposure will then increase the risk of developing cancer and other health issues.  
• SPEs, or ‘solar particle events’, are powerful, high-energy bursts from the sun. These events happen unexpectedly and expose us to dangerous radiation, which is often deadly. 

What if the moon suddenly disappeared?

We are familiar with the word ‘New Moon’. It is the night when the sky is clear and the moon is nowhere to be seen. It occurs every 28 days. However, if the moon really does disappear, it would cause chaos on earth.

Here are a few key reasons for the same:

• The moon plays a role in stabilising earth’s axial tilt and, as a result, contributes to keeping the earth’s climate and seasons stable. Without the moon, it will not be stable and eventually lead to extreme and unpredictable climate changes. It will undoubtedly disturb life on earth. 
• The moon’s gravity plays a major role in controlling the tidal waves in the ocean that we seem to love. Without the moon, they would be much smaller and more unpredictable. As a result of this, coastlines and animals like crabs that rely on tides would be greatly affected. 
• Even though the light from the moon is far less bright than daylight, animals that are active at night use it to help them move around and navigate. Many species that depend on the moonlight would be impacted almost immediately if the moon disappeared. 

Studying the moon via expeditions like Chandrayaan-3 can help us gain valuable insights into the universe. This knowledge would empower us to make informed decisions about space exploration and potentially uncover resources that could benefit humanity in the long run.

Also read, 

• Exploring the Moon’s South Pole: Chandrayaan-3’s Physics Feat
• Chandrayaan-3 for Kids: India’s Third Moon Mission