Alright, so of the 200 odd ‘planets’ discovered over the years, one could actually be inhabitable. GL 581C (weird name, yes), just outside our solar system apparently has conditions that can support life. It’s pretty amazing.
But here’s the problem; it’s 20.5 light years away which means that if you actually manage to travel at the speed of light, it’s still going to take you 20.5 years to get there. Assuming that we don’t end up travelling but simply decide to just send a signal (”Yello, anybody home?”), it’s still going to take another 41 years (best case scenario) to get a reply. That blows.
I do admit that our generation has borne(?) witness to a number of amazing achievments but what could be cooler than being alive when the human race makes extraterrestrial contact?
Sadly, most of the scientific breakthroughs I’m looking forward are allegedly going to take a long long time. Hyperspace travel, The Grand Unified Theory et al.
Sigh. I suddenly wish I wasn’t born till a couple of years back; or even better…a couple of years later.
mahendrap
April 26, 2007
Hmm, I dunno!! I am more of the “live where you are kinda guy”!! Whilst future presents a lot of stuff, it totally raises your expectations and makes u not wanna enjoy the current state, coz you seem to know there’s something better out there and u aren’t gonna get it!!
Does that make sense? Or should I get back to cooking now =P!