Book 2, Question 149
Why Do People Explore?
People have always wanted to see what is over the next hill. Curiosity plus a plan! Humans map new places to find food, safety, and answers.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 2
More fun facts
- By April 2026, only about 28.7 percent of the seafloor had been mapped in high detail.
- Long ago, the Carthaginians explored the western coast of Africa.
- Greek travelers were the first to sail all the way around Britain.
- In 1899, 17-year-old Robert Goddard climbed a cherry tree and dreamed of a machine that could reach Mars.
- Goddard became a rocket pioneer, and NASA builds on his work today.
- Over thousands of years, people have explored the seas, new lands, the skies and now space.
Sources: NOAA Ocean Exploration, NASA, NOAA
Questions kids ask
Is there anywhere left to explore on Earth?
Yes! More than 80 percent of the ocean is still unmapped, unobserved and unexplored.