Mmm, well what else could it be? Let’s say the sky was white, then what about the fluffy clouds? They wouldn’t stand out as much. If the sky was green, the proud trees with their greenery might seem less alive. If it was red, orange, yellow, then we might not enjoy the sunset and sunrise. If it was black, then what will happen to nighttime? And if it was purple… well, that’ll just be crazy.
But according to your logic, then the oceans and lakes don’t stand out.
… true.
My teacher said that blue light is the particular lightwave frequency that’s produced when sunlight enters our atmospheres and interacts with the particles. If we had a different atmospheric make-up, then we would have a different sky color because light would scatter in a different way. For example, Venus has a constant yellow tint due to its high density of carbon dioxide. So, there’s nothing particularly special of a blue sky or the color blue.
Hah, look who’s a smart one. Glad you’re paying attention in class. But if you knew, why’d you ask?
Because she didn’t really answer my question. She only answered how it is blue, not why it is blue.
Aren’t they the same question?
Not really. It’s like the difference between how you answer my questions—because I’m asking—vs why you answer them—because I’m your daughter. Or the difference between how birds migrate south during the winters and why; how caterpillars transform into butterflies and why.
But, dear, there’s a huge difference because those questions involve people or living beings. They have personal agency, collective behavior, DNA swaying tendencies, environment that pressure to do this or that. You know, things lightwave particles lack. They’re pure energy that zip through space and time.
But do they lack agency? How can we know for sure that every lightwave particle doesn’t choose to radiate towards us? What if, out of their own volition, they hit this and that particle in our atmosphere to scatter a certain blue hue for earthlings to enjoy? Every day, every moment, every single lightwave from the sun is working to accomplish this. Traveling millions of miles until they enter our eyes. And maybe that’s why the sky is blue: it’s because of them and for us.
He smiles, impressed but not shocked.
Sounds interesting. It would be nice if the universe is that generous to us, huh?
Isn’t it, though? It’s why you and I are sitting here, eating ice cream after school, and seeing our blue skies. If it’s not generous, it certainly feels like it.
Both attend to their ice cream before they completely melt.
It does, doesn’t it?
lee, sooho 