If you believe in the space program as a priority in your lifetime or not, do you think that one day we should reach out and inhabit other bodies in space than earth?
Or should we make the best of our planet while we can, and when it can no longer support life (which it won't always be able to) simply say "we had a good run" and give up?
2007-12-19 13:38:33 · 9 answers · asked by Sparrow hates Yahoo Answers 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Boatman1 : Good link! I saw a lot of that on "Fearless Planet" or something the other day, and that's what got this topic on my mind again. However johnbonnechappe has a good point - we don't actually know the future and how long earth will be able to sustain us. There are several theories about what *could* happen, so we may not have until the earth just kinda cools down on its own like in your link.
Jack P : That's exactly why I wanted this question out there. I think we should spend some time thinking about this seriously, and not just toss it aside as a silly subject. People do sometimes spend time on prevention, and what could be more important than preventing the death of our species? (and hopefully those of other lifeforms on our planet)
2007-12-19 14:11:58 · update #1
Currently, everything that human endevour and natural history has achieved is located on just one small planet. A rather precarious state of affairs don't you think? If some terrible catastrophe destroyed the earth (or just it's surface) all that hard work and history would be lost forever.
Just think, if the earth was wrecked, most likely by our own hand, everything that anyone ever worked for and sacrificed for would be gone. Millions of years of evolution (or post creation developments if you prefer) would have been in vain. All our culture, art, science, music and history would vanish.
The best way to prevent this is by colonising other worlds. That way hamanity and earth's environment get distributed over a wider area, and the zapping of one whole world will not extinguish all of earth's past achievements.
Probably this process of colonisation needs to commence fairly soon, as the possibility of our destruction of this planet's biosphere is very real. Diversification is the best insurance for our survival.
2007-12-19 14:02:21 · answer #1 · answered by Quadrillian 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Human minds only consider such issues in the abstract. Planning for our species, creating a program and sticking with it long-term isn't in our nature. Our minds are tuned to the immediate, the annual budget and priorities are handled in a 'management by crisis' mode.
Whatever we might wish about long-term goals this year, or this generation to settle other planets, it will all rest on the shoulders of other issues such as resource allocation year by year.
We ain't going anywhere is what it all boils down to, unless some external or internal threat forces the issue into the forefront of our priorities and keeps it there.
2007-12-19 13:56:52 · answer #2 · answered by Jack P 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have no doubt that no matter what we decide now, people will want to survive after the Earth is gone. If that is to be done, people will need to invest money in the space program. It definitely won't be our lives or our great-great-great grandchildren's lives, but a long way down the line, people will not want to die! We WILL, eventually, move to other planets.
2007-12-19 13:56:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely. I think is only inevitable that we will start colonizing other planets. The Moon base NASA is hoping to start in 2024 would be a great jumping off point.
2007-12-19 21:10:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe in the space program but not for the reasons you give.
Your end of the Earth "worry" is VERY far into the future.
http://www.washington.edu/newsroom/news/2003archive/01-03archive/k011303a.html
2007-12-19 13:52:24 · answer #5 · answered by Bullseye 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think we should try to inhabit other planets and hope that the human race has learned from past mistakes and not destroy them as well.
2007-12-19 13:44:09 · answer #6 · answered by Tosha 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
And just why should we colonize other planets? We can't even get along with ourselves on this one.
2007-12-19 14:48:16 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
humans will try to colonize look what they did to the earth when they got ships so think what will happen when everybody gets spaceships
2007-12-19 13:54:36 · answer #8 · answered by Andreu 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
we should do what we was made to do--keep learning and adancing-moving to toward the star's
2007-12-19 13:57:18 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋