Robin Burden answered
The Amazon rain-forest has a really important part to play in all our lives.
The trees in the Amazon maintain the balance of our atmosphere - they absorb carbon dioxide (a gas that humans pump into the atmosphere in harmful amounts).
Without trees, our planet would be uninhabitable.
What is the Amazon rainforest doing for us?
In terms of size, the Amazon is the only rainforest of its kind left on this planet. It is responsible for protecting our ozone layer, by limiting the amount of carbon dioxide in the air.
It is also an important habitat for a variety of different animals.
Without the Amazon as a home, many species would be wiped off the face of the earth, and this would wreak havoc on the delicate balance of the food chain.
What's so amazing about the Amazon?
Interestingly, the Amazon is considered to be an important place for the future of medicine. Many types of medication which we keep at home are actually based on naturally-occurring plants that are found in the diverse environment of the rainforest.
Despite this fact, scientists believe that only 1% of the plants in the Amazon have been properly studied for their potential medicinal benefits. It's very possible that the cure for currently-fatal diseases like cancer or HIV might lie in the depths of the rain-forest.
The trees in the Amazon maintain the balance of our atmosphere - they absorb carbon dioxide (a gas that humans pump into the atmosphere in harmful amounts).
Without trees, our planet would be uninhabitable.
What is the Amazon rainforest doing for us?
In terms of size, the Amazon is the only rainforest of its kind left on this planet. It is responsible for protecting our ozone layer, by limiting the amount of carbon dioxide in the air.
It is also an important habitat for a variety of different animals.
Without the Amazon as a home, many species would be wiped off the face of the earth, and this would wreak havoc on the delicate balance of the food chain.
What's so amazing about the Amazon?
Interestingly, the Amazon is considered to be an important place for the future of medicine. Many types of medication which we keep at home are actually based on naturally-occurring plants that are found in the diverse environment of the rainforest.
Despite this fact, scientists believe that only 1% of the plants in the Amazon have been properly studied for their potential medicinal benefits. It's very possible that the cure for currently-fatal diseases like cancer or HIV might lie in the depths of the rain-forest.
