The reason to put humans on the moon again is no longer to say we can, or to do research robotic probes can do. The reason to go to the moon is it is a stepping stone to understand the life support requirements to send humans to other planets and some day other stars. If the ultimate goal is the survival of the human race, we must learn how to leave this planet, and the earlier we start the better off we will be. People are overpopulating this planet and we are slowly killing its biological diversity. We must have an escape valve and lifeboat available.
I agree that as of right now, the human species does not deserve long term survival (long term on a planetary timeline.) But I dispute that every generation gets worse and the implication that technology isn't helping.
On a per capita basis, since the dawn of the industrial revolution, we have made decent strides in improving our environmental impact. But we still must do much more to improve and much faster. Technology is what allowed us to visualize the damage of this horrid practice. Hopefully it will help spur change just like the picture of Earth on the way to the moon from Apollo helped jumpstart the environmental movement.
Why does it creep you out? The loss of life is a tragedy. But to me it is yet another wondrous natural phenomenon. I wonder how many similar strange events happen on Earth we don't know about. And sad about the day when we know so much about the Earth that finding a new event is a once in a lifetime occurrence.
I agree with Gzim and Adam. I can't believe you included the SSC with these other senseless boondoggles. The SSC would have capabilites beyond any other accelerator built or planned, and would have provided invaluable scientific contributions. Its demise, and inclusion here, is another example of the lack of foresight and fickleness of Americans.
On a per capita basis, since the dawn of the industrial revolution, we have made decent strides in improving our environmental impact. But we still must do much more to improve and much faster. Technology is what allowed us to visualize the damage of this horrid practice. Hopefully it will help spur change just like the picture of Earth on the way to the moon from Apollo helped jumpstart the environmental movement.
Why does it creep you out? The loss of life is a tragedy. But to me it is yet another wondrous natural phenomenon. I wonder how many similar strange events happen on Earth we don't know about. And sad about the day when we know so much about the Earth that finding a new event is a once in a lifetime occurrence.