Ever since I began quoting on Science from Google news headlines

Good answer!

 

There are some things, young WillReadmore, which human beings are destined never to find the answers to, and the miracle of our Universe is one of them. And even if all the questions are answered, what effing difference will it make unless it leads to the discovery of a planet to which humankind could escape in extremis? I'll tell you what . . . if NASA ever gets around to 'letting go' of effing Mars (a planet which we'll never escape to, 'cos it would be a case of 'out of the frying pan into the fire'?), I'll be an enthusiastic cheerleader for that worthwhile venture, much like you and The Don are for this one.

 

Good point apart from the fact they had nothing to do with going to Mars, just a few examples of unknown benefits of advancement for it's own sake as you put it.

You have no idea if these would of been invented or not, it's just one example why this sort of technological development is exactly for the benefit of mankind.

 

If an answer to a question is sought, mankind is smart enough to find it without going into deep space. 'Twas ever thus?

 

That's like saying the Wright brothers should of never bothered with their flight attempts as it was never going to carry passengers or fright and instead should of focused on a solution that could carry 200 hundred people halfway around world in the first attempt.

No such things as miracles, just things we don't understand yet, if you can't see the benefits of pure research then I pity you. With out pure research nothing starts.

 

It isn't. It's nothing like it: man has always wanted to fly and they happened to be the first to work it out; and if it hadn't been them it would have been somebody else? In other words, nothing to do with the universe, merely human curiosity leading to the ingenuity for (as you say yourself) getting from A to B quickly. I mean, who TF wants to get to Mars quickly?

 

Unless I'm mistaken, after the Moon, Mars is the only reasonable choice to further our planetary exploration. It's the stepping stone to everything else before us. Mars is likely not an answer to anything for humans but will provide lots of new information and technology...

 

You are not mistaken and Mars will allow the next logical step as well....the asteroid belt and industrialization of space. Along with that will be Habitation in space stations basically creating the unlimited resource access humanity needs for the step beyond that (No one knows what that will be). Imagination is the only true limitation in the future and most of us have plenty of that.

 

It isn't that bad for us to learn that there is no "escape" - that we need to learn to cooperate on this one planet.

 

Unfortunately it'll never happen - there's too much heterogeneity, regional, cultural, and rational. For example, a westerner will never understand a middle eastern mindset, nor an African mind understand the westernized one. That's why there's so much trouble on the planet. And chuck religion into the mix? Well need I say more?

 

Imagination and money...

 

Yup ask Musk about that....or Sierra Nevada, the dream Chaser should be flying next year.

 

....and physics

 

Also, I don't understand you and you probably don't understand me.

I think there are other more important causes of "trouble".

We have homicidal dictators in charge in too many places. There are places where the people are starving or otherwise have no hope, who love their sons and daughters - who will be lucky to survive, let alone achieve any level of comfort.

We got it right in our declaration of independence. The catch is, large sections of Earth suffer the same problems we identified as so unacceptable that war was required.

The US is way big and powerful enough to make a difference if we're not just totally focused on immedicate wealth through exploiting others.

 

Indeed so, but religion is way up there? And I suggests wars are necessary in controlling population numbers.