ALTHOUGH it is held in a close embrace by planet Earth, a very tiny part of atmosphere still escapes the confines of the planet as some molecules (groups of atoms of the same element), defy the laws of gravity, thanks to the on-rushing molecules that are occasionally made to run faster due to inter-molecular collisions.

Some of them, at the outermost limit, manage to escape into eternity, never to return again. But these atoms, or small groups of atoms are such a small portion of the whole that it has made no difference to the quantity of the atmosphere over the last couple of billion years.

Remember, however, that all molecular collisions do not result in their escape from the gravitational grip of planet Earth. Some of them, in fact, slow down as a result and lose much of their pre-collision momentum, as is the case when collisions take place here on the surface of the planet when cars or other surface or water transports ram into each other and are thus forced to slow down (their brakes besides).

Atmosphere has buoyancy that is indeed remarkable. Oxygen plays a vital role; the second in order of importance is nitrogen that is gratefully acclaimed by flora, and of course the crops that we cannot live without. A large segment of it is nitrogen and oxygen in that order, occupying a massive 78 and 21 per cent respectively. The remaining one per cent belongs to argon, hydrogen, neon, carbon dioxide and methane, among others. One vital component is water vapours which are sort of omnipresent.

The ozone layer, the much talked about gas in the present times, is another form of oxygen but lethal in itself. It is found above the top ‘layer’ of the atmosphere. It is important because it keeps the lethal ultraviolet rays of the sun, and nearby stars, from reaching the surface of Earth and harming the various life forms here. You are surely aware of the famous ‘hole’ in the ozone layer above Antarctica which is supposed to have come about because of a vast amount of CFC gases that have penetrated the lower atmosphere and gone all the way up.

This ‘hole in the ozone layer’ plays the role of a villain for the damage it is likely to cause to any and all forms of life. Man must quickly determine, and prioritise his actions pertaining to wastage, garbage and affluent together with CFC gases for these are almost sure to ruin his chances of survival on the blessed planet.

Atmosphere is all there is. Keep it clean and tidy and it serves you well. Tamper with it or treat it badly, it will abandon us for good. Once it abandons Earthlings, they have no other place to go. Already it is being contemplated to abandon this planet for some other planet. To the 99 persons out of a hundred, the idea is too far-fetched to be workable. But then so was the discovery of the Americas to Columbus and Cortez.

And remember that when such a time comes, it is not the proverbial fortune that will favour the brave. Instead it is their enterprise, as it was in the case of Walter Releigh or Vasco Da Gama or James Cook or Christopher Columbus.

Remember that those who initially peopled Australia were hardened criminals who were given a reprieve for the purpose. In our times, they are the best sportsmen, soldiers, engineers and scientists who have made theirs and our world a better place by far. It is a question of who understands their times well. And, in fact, who is ahead of their times.

My laundry list of dos and don’ts for the citizenry of the world is rather long and hard. Hard to comply or follow, but worth trying for the sake of the children of the world because our hope hinges on their survival, and also, for those lovely animals, the entire animal kingdom that shares this lovely home with us.

Next we will discuss the origin of life: where and how did we arrive here, and what will happen to us if we behave ourselves. And what will happen if we do not.