Mars Landing

dignin · February 2021

brianlux said:

Live on Mars? No thanks. I'd rather be dead than red.

That's all you got from that eh?

F Me In The Brain · February 2021

Hobbes said:

F Me In The Brain said:

Space exploration is one of my favorite topics. Deep ocean exploration, another. Learning more about what we do not know is fascinating, to me.

The Final Frontier? The Undiscovered Country?

Yeeehaw, buddy!

Halifax2TheMax · February 2021

F Me In The Brain said:

Space exploration is one of my favorite topics. Deep ocean exploration, another. Learning more about what we do not know is fascinating, to me.

I reckon yous into Ariel?

F Me In The Brain · February 2021

Halifax2TheMax said:

F Me In The Brain said:

Space exploration is one of my favorite topics. Deep ocean exploration, another. Learning more about what we do not know is fascinating, to me.

I reckon yous into Ariel?

Hahaha.
You are perceptives....and that's what I appreciates about yous.

brianlux · February 2021

Hobbes said:

F Me In The Brain said:

Space exploration is one of my favorite topics. Deep ocean exploration, another. Learning more about what we do not know is fascinating, to me.

The Final Frontier? The Undiscovered Country?

Edward O. Wilson talks about another final frontier of sorts in one of his books. He said that only a small fraction of microbes on this planet have been identified and named and that kind of research would be both fascinating and useful.

I know some of you are going to hate me for saying something like this again, but in my lonely head space I truly believe if we spent the billions that go into space exploration on understanding our own planet, we might actually be able to solve some of the problems that face us rather than looking for some pie-in-the-sky sci-fi fantasy about going somewhere else. There no place like home.

F Me In The Brain · February 2021

I would hope nobody hates you for saying (well, repeating) it....certainly a concern that you have and others have shared.

I do not share it -- but I think we can understand that you find it a grand illusion, unlikely dream, fantasy, wasteful spending, etc...

The Mars landing was awesome and I look forward to seeing the pictures as we gain access to them.

brianlux · February 2021

F Me In The Brain said:

I would hope nobody hates you for saying (well, repeating) it....certainly a concern that you have and others have shared.
I do not share it -- but I think we can understand that you find it a grand illusion, unlikely dream, fantasy, wasteful spending, etc...

The Mars landing was awesome and I look forward to seeing the pictures as we gain access to them.

And I'm certainly OK with individuals who are fans of space exploration. My objections are to the general concept and the diversion of funds that could be used to solve some of the pressing issues we face here on earth. My objections are certainly not toward folks like yourself who find all that fascinating.

One of the biggest fans of NASA and space exploration I've ever known was my mother. She was completely enthralled by space exploration and was hugely disappointed when, as we watched the first person step on the moon, I said, "Well that was a huge waste of money." I should have been more sensitive to her as an individual who was finding herself in a moment of sheer awe when that happened. I don't regret my beliefs, just my timing. And I loved my mom more than anyone in the world.

HughFreakingDillon · February 2021

dignin said:

Dr. Robert Zubrin with a brilliant answer to "Why Should We Go To Mars?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2Mu8qfVb5I&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=JaminGray

wow. that was awesome.

HughFreakingDillon · February 2021

brianlux said:

My wife watched it with some friends (yes, distanced and masked). She was mildly impressed, the friends were quite impressed. She told me about it when I got home. I told her,

You know that David Bowie line about "it's lonely in space"? Well, I'm sure it is, but feeling the way I do about spending money on going to the moon or Mars or whatever- that makes it lonely to me down here on earth.

I sometimes feel like I'm the only one who thinks about all this the way I do.

i hear ya, Brian. I was once where you are. then I was taught about the overwhelming technological benefits that have come out of the space program.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_spinoff_technologies

Gern Blansten · February 2021

https://twitter.com/James7Holland/status/1362814591940648960

brianlux · February 2021

HughFreakingDillon said:

brianlux said:

My wife watched it with some friends (yes, distanced and masked). She was mildly impressed, the friends were quite impressed. She told me about it when I got home. I told her,

You know that David Bowie line about "it's lonely in space"? Well, I'm sure it is, but feeling the way I do about spending money on going to the moon or Mars or whatever- that makes it lonely to me down here on earth.

I sometimes feel like I'm the only one who thinks about all this the way I do.

i hear ya, Brian. I was once where you are. then I was taught about the overwhelming technological benefits that have come out of the space program.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_spinoff_technologies

I've heard that argument (not that I take it as argumentative) several times before and I'm sure it is sincere, but it always bring to mind the question, "Could not those some technological advancements been developed in pursuit of solutions to the problems, needs, and desires that we face here on earth?" I have glanced through that list and not found anything that could not have been developed here on earth. In fact, weren't they all developed here on earth? Not meaning to be offensive in saying this, but I wonder to what degree is that argument a subconscious justification for an unnecessary pursuit?

tbergs · February 2021

HughFreakingDillon said:

brianlux said:

My wife watched it with some friends (yes, distanced and masked). She was mildly impressed, the friends were quite impressed. She told me about it when I got home. I told her,

You know that David Bowie line about "it's lonely in space"? Well, I'm sure it is, but feeling the way I do about spending money on going to the moon or Mars or whatever- that makes it lonely to me down here on earth.

I sometimes feel like I'm the only one who thinks about all this the way I do.

i hear ya, Brian. I was once where you are. then I was taught about the overwhelming technological benefits that have come out of the space program.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_spinoff_technologies

This and the possibility of discovering something on another planet, or galaxy or anywhere in space that could advance science and our way of living. Exploration of any kind is often criticized because of the immense upfront cost without the assurance of a true measurable benefit.

HughFreakingDillon · February 2021

they were developed here, of course. but they are called "spinoffs" because these inventions are literal spinoffs from space exploration.

brianlux · February 2021

And I feel compelled to add that look at where we are at:

Cancer is still a major killer and women are dying disproportionately from breast cancer.

People dying in Texas because the technology was not available to many people did not provide them adequate heat and clean water.

Many people have died in the west because our technology created climate change.

People die every year from weather and fire related causes because we not spent money on improving infrastructure but instead spend billions on space travel.

There are an estimated 55 million potholes in America causing untold numbers of accidents and breakage of automobile parts.

Cars still only average 25 miles per gallon (not sure what that is in metric).

Speaking of metric, the most powerful country in the world has yet to go metric.

And in an area outside of the small city of Placerville, California and only about 40 miles to the major city of Sacramento, there is only one internet service available and it has difficulty streaming a two minute video.

But we can send a robot to Mars and receive video and sound transmissions in minutes? WTF?

tbergs · February 2021

brianlux said:

And I feel compelled to add that look at where we are at:

Cancer is still a major killer and women are dying disproportionately from breast cancer.
People dying in Texas because the technology was not available to many people did not provide them adequate heat and clean water.
Many people have died in the west because our technology created climate change.
People die every year from weather and fire related causes because we not spent money on improving infrastructure but instead spend billions on space travel.
There are an estimated 55 million potholes in America causing untold numbers of accidents and breakage of automobile parts.
Cars still only average 25 miles per gallon (not sure what that is in metric).
Speaking of metric, the most powerful country in the world has yet to go metric.
And in an area outside of the small city of Placerville, California and only about 40 miles to the major city of Sacramento, there is only one internet service available and it has difficulty streaming a two minute video.

But we can send a robot to Mars and receive video and sound transmissions in minutes? WTF?

Your examples emphasize the failings of free will and the impact of prioritizing the good of some over the good of the whole. That was made very clear over the last four years.

brianlux · February 2021

tbergs said:

brianlux said:

And I feel compelled to add that look at where we are at:

Cancer is still a major killer and women are dying disproportionately from breast cancer.
People dying in Texas because the technology was not available to many people did not provide them adequate heat and clean water.
Many people have died in the west because our technology created climate change.
People die every year from weather and fire related causes because we not spent money on improving infrastructure but instead spend billions on space travel.
There are an estimated 55 million potholes in America causing untold numbers of accidents and breakage of automobile parts.
Cars still only average 25 miles per gallon (not sure what that is in metric).
Speaking of metric, the most powerful country in the world has yet to go metric.
And in an area outside of the small city of Placerville, California and only about 40 miles to the major city of Sacramento, there is only one internet service available and it has difficulty streaming a two minute video.

But we can send a robot to Mars and receive video and sound transmissions in minutes? WTF?

Your examples emphasize the failings of free will and the impact of prioritizing the good of some over the good of the whole. That was made very clear over the last four years.

I wish it was just the last 4 years.

F Me In The Brain · February 2021

Most of the arguments against seeking answers in space neglect to take into consideration basic human nature. We prove ourselves to be a species incapable of preserving the resources here, or much caring about them, regardless of the facts staring us in the collective face.

We are idiots and we need the smartest among us to save us from ourselves.

People are not going to reverse the changes we are doing to the earth and I could argue that many of the so called changes contain opposing truths that cause similar amounts of harm to the globe, even if we could get everyone to switch to e-cars, for instance.

I am not a denier of the harm we do to our planet -- in fact, one of the reasons I believe we must push forward in exploring the unknown is that we might find something to help our species survive in the long run.

brianlux · February 2021

F Me In The Brain said:

Most of the arguments against seeking answers in space neglect to take into consideration basic human nature. We prove ourselves to be a species incapable of preserving the resources here, or much caring about them, regardless of the facts staring us in the collective face.
We are idiots and we need the smartest among us to save us from ourselves.
People are not going to reverse the changes we are doing to the earth and I could argue that many of the so called changes contain opposing truths that cause similar amounts of harm to the globe, even if we could get everyone to switch to e-cars, for instance.

I am not a denier of the harm we do to our planet -- in fact, one of the reasons I believe we must push forward in exploring the unknown is that we might find something to help our species survive in the long run.

"People are not going to reverse the changes we are doing to the earth and I could argue that many of the so called changes contain opposing truths that cause similar amounts of harm to the globe, even if we could get everyone to switch to e-cars, for instance."

Absolutely true. The mining required to build batteries for Prius and electric cars for every person of driving age and capability on this planet would wreck absolute havoc on the planet beyond anything we have seen. But with a reasonable human population count on earth, that would not be so.

Halifax2TheMax · February 2021

brianlux said:

F Me In The Brain said:

Most of the arguments against seeking answers in space neglect to take into consideration basic human nature. We prove ourselves to be a species incapable of preserving the resources here, or much caring about them, regardless of the facts staring us in the collective face.
We are idiots and we need the smartest among us to save us from ourselves.
People are not going to reverse the changes we are doing to the earth and I could argue that many of the so called changes contain opposing truths that cause similar amounts of harm to the globe, even if we could get everyone to switch to e-cars, for instance.

I am not a denier of the harm we do to our planet -- in fact, one of the reasons I believe we must push forward in exploring the unknown is that we might find something to help our species survive in the long run.

"People are not going to reverse the changes we are doing to the earth and I could argue that many of the so called changes contain opposing truths that cause similar amounts of harm to the globe, even if we could get everyone to switch to e-cars, for instance."

Absolutely true. The mining required to build batteries for Prius and electric cars for every person of driving age and capability on this planet would wreck absolute havoc on the planet beyond anything we have seen. But with a reasonable human population count on earth, that would not be so.

If only we had a carbon tax.

Bentleyspop · February 2021

Mars Landing

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Dr. Robert Zubrin with a brilliant answer to "Why Should We Go To Mars?"

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