"Whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way."
Originating from an American soldier's joke over 50 years ago, Murphy's Law has found yet another validation in the two recent collisions in sea and space, the risk for such occurrences usually described as being "one in a million" and "bigger than zero."
Two British and French nuclear-armed submarines collided in the Atlantic Ocean earlier this month, while two US and Russian satellites also collided about 800 km over Siberia on February 10.
The collisions not only cost all parties involved dearly, but also pose a real threat to all of humankind.
How to relieve the threat as soon as possible and how to prevent such incidents from re-curing; have become the priorities of countries around the world.
In view of the recent accidents, not only the nations involved in the incidents, but the entire world should assume accountability together as citizens of the earth to safeguard the peace and tranquillity of the home planet we share.
Although it is necessary to assign responsibility for each mishap, it is also imperative that we adequately deal with their aftermath so as to avoid further ill effects.
To minimize the threats posed to other spacecraft by the debris produced from the space collision, to release the details of the submarine collision as soon as possible, and to take action dispelling global anxieties over a radioactive leak are inescapable responsibilities of the nations concerned.
The two incidents have also triggered appeals for strictly abiding by international laws and mapping out more pertinent regulations.
Given the imbalance of development around the world, all countries and regions need to actively participate in the execution and formulation of such laws, to clarify each one's obligations on the basis of specifying its rights.
The advancement of science and technology is the optimal solution for the inevitable challenges encountered when human beings march into outer space and delve into deep seas in an endeavour to expand our living space.
The development of effective observing, monitoring and forewarning techniques would fundamentally reduce the likelihood of similar collisions, for which international cooperation and technical sharing are of self-evident significance.
"What the last accident showed us is that we need to do much more...in order to prevent further collisions," said Jean-Francois Kaufeler of the European Space Agency.
"The problem of space debris is unique," he said. "We need to work together; we need to unify our forces if we are going to solve it."
Even though the ongoing explorations in space and sea equals a sort of competition among countries and regions, with vital interests involved, the common interests of humanity remain superior. No one can neglect the fact that as neighbours we live on the earth and share the same sky and waters.
British biologist T. H. Huxley once said, "Society differs from nature in having a definite moral object."
As sharers of the earth's natural environment, human society must never forget its moral object. Harmony and peace on our planet requires collective efforts on our part to assume accountability as citizens of the earth.