Undersoil Research And Science

While space, ocean, and many land areas have been studied well all over the world. Also many studies are going on sustainable earth, bio-diversity etc. Increasing well being of the human beings, their increasing longevity and increasing world population, place a huge demand on soil, the plants, birds and animals - virtually converting soil into a 'mass producing factory' year round. Even demands for organic food, organic farming etc will place increasing demands on soil. As also various forms of waste management, water management, water recycling etc.

Many do not even think that these place a huge demands on the soil underground. Most researches are confirmed up to about one foot. Whereas much of the activities of insects, oxygen, methane, microbes, viruses, many other living beings, rats, snakes, frogs etc live there. There are also so many chemical, physical, bilogical, hydrological etc activities taking place there. They also have a great role in shaping human destiny - ecology, sustainability, health etc. The appeal to researches all over the world to start research work in these areas in a scientific manner.

Also appeal to funding agencies and philanthropist to focus on Under-Soil-Research & Science say going to 200 m to 300 meters. Highly rewarding in terms of knowledge and also crucial for long term sustainability of the earth.

The suggestion or set of ideas are more for researchers and those who want to fund research in frontier areas. I suggest to even private individuals and parties to consider these ideas and find a very competent group and fund. Immediate benefits may not be forthcoming (but not ruled out as some very good ideas for agricultural productivity may come out).

But my main aim is more to understand our Earth so that biodiversity and life can sustain for a long time.

Human being has explored matter 'ultimate' into particles; creating new particles through giant accelerators; exploring sun, planetary systems, interplanetary space, stars, galaxies etc - with the advent of space during the past 49 years (next year Oct. 2007 will be the fiftieth year of first artificial, human made, satellite or sputnik into Earth's orbit) human knowledge has broadened, deepened and there are tonnes of hitherto unknown information obtained; also lots of applications, revolutionising human life!.

So also with exploration of the oceans above water, below water, the seabed, the organisms in it, chemicals, temperatures, currents etc. Again mindblogging! We are only scratching the surface of the knowledge of the oceans - we get frightened by Tsunamis. Yes, an earthquake in the ocean far away somewhere affects so many human lives and properties!

Then we also explore Antartica - the southern pole region!.

Of course now a days there is a lots of talk about bio-diversity; preservation of nature; human knowledge as to how many microbes are there is abysmally poor. There are innumerable viruses and bacteria waiting to enter the excitement of human life ! You find new diseases.

On the other side growing human population (and animal population - commercial ones and pet ones) demands very severely on the agricultural productivities. The goal of most research and applications, is to convert the soil into a continuous 'mass producing factory' irrespective of the weather and other geo-climatic and soil constraints of the past. Similarly birds and animals and their produce (egg, milk, meat etc) are also mass produced. Did Nature intends it so ? It is not easy to know - but the human needs (and partly greed) are to be fulfilled. The six billion human population is rapidly marching towards eight billion (perhaps even before 2020). Human life is extending to eighty beyond on a large scale â€¦. infant mortality is coming down!. Researches will further extend healthy human life to a large number of people. The demand for plant, bird and animal production and converting them into large scale 'factories' will continue. Demands for natural foods and organic farming (in their modern forms) are only going to increase the demand on soil. Water purification, water recycling, waste management etc will also place demands on soil.

But you will be amazed to find out that very little research is done on soil below one foot. But the huge trees, the insect words and many other ecosystem like water flow, storage etc take place much below those surfacial levels. There is a whole new world to be explored say up to 100 to 200 meters below the surface. Most of us only read about fairytales of ant-world, world of rates and snakes etc. Some twenty years ago, I read a good article on the soil below us. It was fascinating. I am sure that there are other papers. But a multidisciplinary approach of looking at bio-diversity, under-soil-ecology, insect world, microbes, viruses, chemistry, climate, plant roots, decaying matter, methane, oxygen, effects of modern world activities etc are to be done scientifically. There is a lot of conventional science there; lots of scope for simulation; new theories!

I hope some researchers will get attracted towards it and start it in a major way. I should also assume it should not be too costly, at least to begin with : for example - what is the world under a pipal tree, neem tree or a wasteland!... and so on.

The rewards in terms of knowledge and eventually for our better adjustment with nature are many.

I welcome comments. Please give me reference of important scientific books, articles in this area. Also my appeal to funding agencies, philanthropists etc. to consider this area from promoting research.

Abstract : While space, ocean, and many land areas have been studied well all over the world. Also many studies are going on sustainable earth, bio-diversity etc. Increasing well being of the human beings, their increasing longevity and increasing world population, place a huge demand on soil, the plants, birds and animals - virtually converting soil into a 'mass producing factory' year round. Even demands for organic food, organic farming etc will place increasing demands on soil. As also various forms of waste management, water management, water recycling etc.

Y.S.Rajan

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