Richard Branson (owner of Virgin Galactic) says he wants to make space accessible to "everyone." This is a collosal perversion of science and technology. Branson (along with his rivals in space, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos) are encouraging people, at least indirectly, to imagine that we can trash this planet and just move to another one when Earth can no longer support us. Nothing could be farther from the truth! The closest exoplanet is only 4 light years away, but that's around 23 trillion miles (about 37 trillion kilometers). If you got into one of our faster rocket ships and set out for that nearest planet (called Proxima Centauri) you would arrive in about 75,000 years. That is, if the radiation didn't kill you in the first 5 years. Meanwhile, every rocket launch punches another hole in our ozone layer. And sea level keeps rising. And the heat waves are getting hotter. And the hurricanes are blowing harder, and dumping more rain. What we need is urgent action to stop burning fossil fuels, not to go galavanting into space.
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I agree the prospect is dismal in the possibility of humans migrating to another planet unless scientists can invent a spacecraft that can surpass the speed of light which is highly unlikely . On the other hand I think people have the right to use their money for this purpose.The main problem facing humanity that leads to all the other problems is over population which is rarely addressed because there is more money to be made in technology to develope ways in feeding more people than feeding less people .
becketb
Level 5
July 11, 2021
2
They need to start taxing those billionaires and putting the money to good use here on earth among the living people who need help. Going to the moon or any other planet is not helping anyone except their pipe dreams.
HippieChick58
Level 9
July 11, 2021
4
Self-agrandizing pipe dreams!
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