Although not an economic magazine, Sky and Telescope's article - The Hazards of Avoiding Hazards, discusses the economic principle of opportunity cost.  This article is a prime example of how the economy affects our lives and its impact on human behavior.  The author, Charles Rubin, ponders the use of resources for the NEO program.  It is a preventive program based upon the assumption that Earth and a near-Earth object (NEO) may possibly collide.  He fears that the downside of an aggressive impact-prevention program, such as this, becomes apparent when considering opportunity cost.  "Whenever we employ resources in one way, they are no longer available to be spent in another.  Growing wealth or an expanding economy can make these choices less obvious and painful, but they are always there" (Rubin, p. 1).  This is especially prevalent with the NEO program because it may...