Earth 2.0

[Scott]

So NASA have just confirmed what they believed to have discovered as "bigger, older cousin to Earth"

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-kepler-mission-discovers-bigger-older-cousin-to-earth

What are people's opinions on this? I've seen varied opinions, some people are very excited at this prospect, although the planet is millions of light years away, people are also complaining about spending billions of pounds in the search for extraterrestrial life which they think could be better spent on solving problems here on Earth, personally I am excited about the prospect of new life, however I do sympathise and agree with those who believe that we should be spending money on solving problems at home, those billions of pounds could have gone towards feeding countries in poverty, or fighting the ISIS threat, rebuilding the Middle East or cancer research..what is everyone's opinion?

 

[Indy_Bones]

Let's face it, billions of pounds are 'wasted' every single day through one form or another, we have governments that owe hundreds of billions in national debt despite the average man being unable to get decent credit to buy their first home, and we have wastage on a scale our ancestors couldn't have possibly imagined, so I expect another couple of billion towards space exploration is a drop in the ocean when speaking globally (because we sure as hell aren't suddenly going to become all altruistic and give the money to the Red Cross instead are we...)

 

[KeiranShikari]

America spends more of their budget air conditioning military facilities than on NASA. Always funny to see people moaning about these ''things that don't affect us'' getting bankrolled. 

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Im rather pragmatic about the whole thing. Pure research is fine, and like Formula One the technologies developed to help get us there can have many benefits - Formula One for example has revolutionised road safety, so doubtless technological advances in pursuit of this cause will have collateral.

However, what annoys me about SETI is the idea we need to prove life exists elsewhere from our planet. Considering the multitude of stars and planets in just our own galaxy, not to mention all the other galaxies - the need to prove life exists is pretty pointless, statistically its a certainty.

However, if light is the speed limit of the universe (though the position on this keeps changing),the relevance of life elsewhere in the cosmos drifts off. We wouldnt be able to communicate with them, certainly not visit or be visited by them due to the vast distances, so really, whats the point?

Life elsewhere only becomes relevent if its discovered in our own solar system.

For anyone interested in space, this link demonstrates very well the vastness of space

http://www.joshworth.com/a-tediously-accurate-map-of-the-solar-system/

 

[Scott]

Just scrolled through that in its entirety, and that's just our solar system, damn haha

 

[Canaryboy]

however I do sympathise and agree with those who believe that we should be spending money on solving problems at home, those billions of pounds could have gone towards feeding countries in poverty, or fighting the ISIS threat, rebuilding the Middle East or cancer research..what is everyone's opinion?

I once said something similar on facebook and was put in my place by a science geek who was quick to list the many things that we wouldn't currently benefit from if the human race had never bothered with space exploration.

A surprisingly long list of things that we take for granted these days were initially NASA spin-off technologies, and other technologies have been improved as a result of space programmes. In other words, a lot of the research and development which goes into these space projects find valuable real world applications.

Scratch resistant lenses, mobile phone cameras, freeze drying, advanced artificial limbs, etc. Entire industries and new markets are then built off of the back of those technologies, which presumably generate many billions (or even trillions) and many jobs, and in some cases improve many lives. 

NASA technology has been used for landmine removal equipment, firefighters clothing, solar energy harnessing, water purification. All sorts. 

Yes, we gain very little from finding out that some star millions of miles away may once have had a lake on it, or gathering some dust particles from Mars, but we benefit hugely from the research and development which goes into developing the technology which makes those experiments possible.

It was only about 60 years ago that the Russian's stuck the first satellite in the sky, that was space exploration. Plenty of people on this forum will be happy to use those satellites to watch Norwich games on Sky this season.

ps. I haven't read other responses yet, but NASA's activities cost us Brits nothing, that's a US government department. Our department is called the UK Space Agency and it has a budget of just £322m.  

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Just scrolled through that in its entirety, and that's just our solar system, damn haha

Shows you how off our perceptions are. We dont appreciate the space as its boring. But the space is significant!