The Earth: a pale blue dot in the darkness of space, a speck of dust in the light of the sun. This is how planetary scientist Carl Sagan described our planet. It is the home of all humans who have ever lived, and has been the stage for all the stories we know. From here, astronomers peer into a dynamic universe, witness the devilish dance of true mass monsters and gaze into our own past. How did the universe, our solar system, and our home come into being? Why is the Earth so unique? With its profound questions, astronomy brings us closer together, blurs boundaries and creates opportunities for the global South.
The associated dangers are very well understood.