2006-06-06 02:54:26 · 7 answers · asked by MAK 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
No I don't think its a waste of time doing this,
Because, if you think about it, there are estimated 125 billion Galaxies out there. Our Galaxy the milky way has estimated 400 billion stars like the sun. Statistically speaking if the probability chance of finding life anywhere in the universe was a trillionth (0.000000000001%)percent, ther there would be 50 billion star sytems(like the solar system) in the universe with planets that have conditions just like earth that can support life.
This gives a very high chance that there is intelligent life out there and so maybe we can learn alot from them whether they are technologically more advanced or much more behind us; I think there must be something to learn from them.
Just like cultures; diversity is Key
2006-06-06 07:00:00 · answer #1 · answered by Kimenyi kiguoya 1 · 3⤊ 2⤋
The answer to your question is yes.
It is not a waste of time to look for conditions that would support life on other planets, but to look for life is fairly ridiculouse at this point. Keep in mind that we are nowhere near the speed of light and to go to the closest neighboring start would mean going 5 light years. If you try to look for life in the solar system, however, it may have some merrit. Like the Spirit and Oportunity expeditions to Mars or the Cassini-H. probe. But please note that those are all robatic expeditions... Humans in space should concentrate on bettering life on Earth.
Also, funding NASA is oh so critical (my group is funded a little differently so we are competing with NASA for funding and still I say they should get funded well). Every dollar put into NASA has proven to be a worthy investment even with the stupid space-race. Austronauts like to talk about all the inventions NASA brought us... But any science, and especially NASA should get funded well not for today but for the future, it is so stupid to say that investment in NASA is not worth it... it's like saying let's not get an education and focus on getting the fun out of life now... the foolish man who built his house on sand.
But even if we did find life on other planet, it would probabbly be unicellular and hardly advance us much unless we could actually touch it, disect it and so on but that is nearly impossible with the technology today so yes it is a waste of money.
2006-06-06 10:30:02 · answer #2 · answered by Ilya R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No,
Some people probably thought it was a waste of money for their Kings and Queens to fund expaditions in search of new worlds but golly heck, look what they found right across the pond! (much to the dismay of Native Americans).
The more we know about the universe in general, the more society seems to thrive. Finding planets isn't the most expensive endevour anyways. I can think of ten far more expensive things your tax money is being spent on right now.
2006-06-06 20:26:21 · answer #3 · answered by minuteblue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At the current moment, I believe more money should be spent at home for the development of technology that would be useful to human life at this moment. Funding in NASA is only delaying us the opportunity to experience the greater fundamentals of life.
2006-06-06 09:59:21 · answer #4 · answered by gutuku 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO its not a waste! I don't belive there are aliens with space ships out there but I do think there are animals and plants.
2006-06-06 21:13:11 · answer #5 · answered by GavinO 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it will not be a waste if it is spent for widening our knowledge and without any ulterior and anti human motives.
2006-06-06 10:41:22 · answer #6 · answered by raj 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No you can get nobel prize and thats about 10 times more
2006-06-06 09:57:53 · answer #7 · answered by aston04 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋