Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

It is difficult to measure things from a distance. That distance can by in space and it can be in time.

We often attempt to measure things from a distance. We take photos of the ground from 10,000 feet up in the air. We then run through geometric calculations to determine the size of the objects on the ground. We do pretty well most of the time with these.

We use other sensors to measure the chemical content of places that are remote from the sensors. We then estimate what chemicals are present in that remote place. We estimate there is water on the moon and on Mars. Those estimations are “if-fy.” Tell me when we are making coffee with the water we found on the the moon.

We use other sensors to measure what was the temperature of the earth 10,000 years ago. Now I get really “if-fy.” That is a far remote measurement. That is difficult—and that is an understatement.

We user other sensors to determine how dinosaurs walked the earth. We use other sensors to determine the color of dinosaurs. Yikes. Those are remotely sensed items that are, well, I hope you get the point by now.

Remote sensing is difficult. That is the nature of the endeavor. I am hesitant to accept information surmised from data that are remotely sensed. That is my nature, and I feel that my nature is legitimate.