Why are We Driven to Explore?

By Nancy Atkinson - July 23, 2013 at 8:11 PM UTC | Space Exploration

Why do we explore? Is it the desire to break through boundaries, or to probe the perimeters of possibilities? With his lightning-fast mind, self-professed wonder junkie

Jason Silva

can quickly list all the great quotes about space exploration and why it is important for the human species to explore; and he does it in this new video from his

"Shots of Awe" series on You Tube

Strap in and enjoy the fast ride that is Jason Silva!

"Shots of Awe" are weekly three-minute videos with what Silva calls "inspired nuggets of techno-rapture," that can provide a nudge to contemplate your life; whether it be to look at the complex systems of society, technology, or the beauty of nature and science.

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson is a space journalist and author with a passion for telling the stories of people involved in space exploration and astronomy. She is currently retired from daily writing, but worked at Universe Today for 20 years as a writer and editor. She also contributed articles to The Planetary Society, Ad Astra (National Space Society), New Scientist and many other online outlets.

Her 2019 book, "Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions,” shares the untold stories of engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make the Apollo program so successful, despite the daunting odds against it. Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.

Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and through this program, she has the opportunity to share her passion of space and astronomy with children and adults through presentations and programs. Nancy's personal website is nancyatkinson.com