6 Ways Humans are Confronting the Challenge of Life

Discovery's Life[/url] shows us that existence is a delicate thing. Subtle shifts in temperature, the introduction of a new species, changes in weather, or a disease can unbalance a community or ecosystem, leaving unprepared inhabitants vulnerable.

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While such changes wreak havoc around the world, some species are able to adapt by developing novel solutions to these monumental challenges. Now, as the planet shifts under our own mismanagement, it is time for humans, too, to adapt to these new challenges.

1. Preventing the Worst

The easiest way to cope with a disaster is to prevent it from happening in the first place. When it comes to earthquakes, hurricanes, and meteor strikes, this is, of course, easier said than done. In comparison, it seems a fortunate thing that the most pressing threat to our existence is global climate change. Though the dilemma is daunting, there is still an opportunity—albeit a rapidly shrinking one—to prevent the worst.

It may not sound very exciting, but the most powerful innovation driving our efforts to prevent climate change disaster is accounting. Tools and technologies that help us monitor and report the emission of carbon are the foundation of any efforts to curb climate change.

2. Changing the Game

From cloud seeding to biochar, plankton blooms to carbon scrubbing, geoengineering is the controversial idea that humans can tweak the environment to repair the damage caused by years of greenhouse gas emissions. The concept is not the extreme jump of logic it first seems: We did, after all, unwittingly use geoengineering to exacerbate climate change in the first place.

Tinkering with forces and systems scientists have only a small understanding of, however, makes many people uncomfortable.

3. Plan Ahead and Prepare In spite of the noblest preventative efforts, disaster can still strike. A foundational tenet of Leave No Trace tells us to "plan and prepare ahead." In a basic sense, this means that we should all assemble emergency necessities, brush up on some basic survival techniques, and ensure that our loved ones will be protected. In a broader sense, people are preparing for future disasters with advanced models built on past data. Whether these models provide a forecast of the impact of climate change or estimate the destruction that might be caused by an earthquake, they are helping scientists and policy makers prepare for the challenges we will face in the future. 4. Nature's Own Model People have noticed that nature is adept at confronting challenges and finding solutions to tough problems. Respect for this flexibility has inspired biomimicry, a field of design that attempts to use "nature's best ideas" as solutions for human problems. From transportation networks to bullet trains, biomimicry has already helped designers and engineers implement incredible innovations. 5. Doing More with Less Plants and animals have, over vast expanses of time, developed the specialized tools for their habitats through evolutionary adaptation. This slow process of trial and error, success and failure, has allowed some species to flourish in specific ecosystems. When these habitats change, however, what was once a powerful tool gained from adaptation can become a limited liability. Making the most of what you have, like three cheetahs working together to maximize their strengths, is the best means for confronting limited resources. For many of us, this means living frugally and reducing waste. For others, increased efficiency is the base on which the future will be built. 6. When Fear Becomes Reality Disasters, like the earthquake in Haiti, remind us that, unfortunately, our worst fears can become a reality. Thankfully, innovations in building, health, geopositioning, and social media help bring relief to those impacted by such disasters in a way that is faster and more effective than ever before. In the animal world, threats come from predators and weather, changing climate and a shrinking habitat. For most people, the challenge to life seems less dire—until our intricate means of solving problems is taxed and breaks. [b]Watch Life on Planet Green