The miniature Earth
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hubird
That's a thorny one.
We could spend all our energy fixing the earth and the ecology, balancing ourselves with the environment only to be smashed to bits by some cosmic accident that wipes the planet's slate clean.
Or we could use the planet silly in an attempt to get the hell of here only to find out we've trashed the only habitable place in the neighborhood (or perhaps all the other habitable places are already inhabited and don't have room for us).
We could spend all our energy fixing the earth and the ecology, balancing ourselves with the environment only to be smashed to bits by some cosmic accident that wipes the planet's slate clean.
Or we could use the planet silly in an attempt to get the hell of here only to find out we've trashed the only habitable place in the neighborhood (or perhaps all the other habitable places are already inhabited and don't have room for us).
Sir 
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hubird
no one will complain -
Counterparts
- Posts: 1963
- Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2003 4:00 pm
- Location: Bath, England
Guess which company has the world's largest investment in detailed satellite imaging of the planet?
That's right - MacDonalds.
They use this enormous database of information to determine the 'perfect location(s)' for new "restaurants".
Oopsy - they made a massive loss last year, hence their increasingly desperate "I'm loving it" advertising campaign. I seriously doubt that they're fooling anybody, though.
Royston
That's right - MacDonalds.
They use this enormous database of information to determine the 'perfect location(s)' for new "restaurants".
Oopsy - they made a massive loss last year, hence their increasingly desperate "I'm loving it" advertising campaign. I seriously doubt that they're fooling anybody, though.
Royston
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hubird
Hi Spirit, still alive?On 2004-05-25 23:06, Spirit wrote:
So Hubird, I suppose you also object to all the "space money" that's being spent on satellite imaging and monitoring of oceans, forests, surface temperatures etc ?
This is, as you'd know, the data which has confirmed the reality of global warming and climate change.
Sure, you can nail me with that one.
At the same time, those satellite technics serve the big fishing companies which know exactly where to fish...leading to extremely fast exhausting of fishing grounds all over the world.
But what about the new budgets created to prepare a go to Mars?
Rational considerations would lead to a totally different view on how to spend the space budget in the world.
If people die from hunger or lack of penicilline you don't build a hitech operation room in their village, that's how I see it
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2004-05-26 10:28 ]</font>
I think you'll find it's more sonar and radar equipped boats doing the damage, combined with a lack of proper regulation on catch size, but that's really just "splitting hairs" as they say (well, as they here anyway).
In broad terms though I support Mars missions and space activities because of many reasons...
1) For a start the combined space budgets are not enough to make a huge impact on the world's big problems. If you want to start reallocating money then military budgets is where the big cash sums will be found.
2) I believe the saying "man does not live by bread alone". Humanity needs something more than the little details and immediate rational thinking of an accountant. We need inspiration and hope and a grand vision - space does this.
3) Space helps define the psyche and the place of humans in the cosmos. Think of Stonehenge and other ancient celestial monuments. They represented a huge investment of resources that might have been better spent on wooden forts, or extra feilds of maize, but instead....
4) Space projects are like pure science research and have many spin-offs. The planetary science and climate observation is just one obvious benefit. Satellite communications is another. By using donated bandwidth on space-based satellites many poor nations can pass by the expensive installation of copper networks.
5) The quest for life in space, and the study of non-Earth planetary geology migth help us better understand the risks and challenges of our world. And if we did discover life elsewhere, no matter how primitive, this would have profound religious implications. It may even help the spiritual development of our entire species.
So, it's not just a case of spending money on "flags and footprints", that's just the PR end.
Space exploration is a deeply practical and useful science as well as a noble and profound project for every person on the planet.
In broad terms though I support Mars missions and space activities because of many reasons...
1) For a start the combined space budgets are not enough to make a huge impact on the world's big problems. If you want to start reallocating money then military budgets is where the big cash sums will be found.
2) I believe the saying "man does not live by bread alone". Humanity needs something more than the little details and immediate rational thinking of an accountant. We need inspiration and hope and a grand vision - space does this.
3) Space helps define the psyche and the place of humans in the cosmos. Think of Stonehenge and other ancient celestial monuments. They represented a huge investment of resources that might have been better spent on wooden forts, or extra feilds of maize, but instead....
4) Space projects are like pure science research and have many spin-offs. The planetary science and climate observation is just one obvious benefit. Satellite communications is another. By using donated bandwidth on space-based satellites many poor nations can pass by the expensive installation of copper networks.
5) The quest for life in space, and the study of non-Earth planetary geology migth help us better understand the risks and challenges of our world. And if we did discover life elsewhere, no matter how primitive, this would have profound religious implications. It may even help the spiritual development of our entire species.
So, it's not just a case of spending money on "flags and footprints", that's just the PR end.
Space exploration is a deeply practical and useful science as well as a noble and profound project for every person on the planet.
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hubird
