Outer Space

“Fly Me To The Moon”

Nan Opinion, Outer Space, Space Travel

An excerpt from an email newsletter I receive related to the current excursion to the moon:

While the 10-day test flight will not land on the moon, it will photograph, from a height of 4,000 to 6,000 miles, areas of the moon’s south pole, where the next human landing and an eventual lunar base are planned.

As many of my regular readers already know, I’m not a fan of “space travel.” IMO, human bodies are designed to live on EARTH … not Mars or any other planet in our solar system. And the beaucoup bucks being spent on learning more about “survival” in space is little more than the folly of dreamers.

This includes the recent efforts to reach –and set up living quarters– on the MOON. Here is what AI has to say:

Astronauts on the Moon will face extreme temperatures ranging from -248 to 123 degrees Celsius (-414 to 253 degrees Fahrenheit), exposure to radiation due to the lack of atmosphere, and challenges from lunar dust, which can irritate the eyes and lungs. Additionally, the Moon’s low gravity can lead to muscle and bone loss over time.

Not exactly the conditions for a casual afternoon stroll, is it? Rather, the astronauts will be required to wear special clothing every time they set foot on the moon’s surface. Moreover, their intended living quarters will be far different from any found on earth.

Now some will say our exploratory nature demands these excursions to parts unknown. They will cite history and offer reminders of what has taken place to be where we are today. I cannot deny any of this. However, none of it required leaving this planet.

And yes, I’m well aware of the military aspects behind this particular venture. I just find it extremely sad and disappointing that human beings feel they must overcome/rule other humans in order to simply enjoy life. But thus it has been … and thus it will (undoubtedly) ever be.

A Future on Mars?

Nan Outer Space, Science, Space Travel , , ,

I have written before about this topic … and expressed my belief that human existence on other planets … with special emphasis on Mars … is HIGHLY improbable. Some readers have disagreed … and may still. But the article referenced below tends to back up my personal perspective.  See what you think. Does it change or confirm your original position?

Science fiction blinded us to the
perils of settling Mars

Science fiction romanticized Mars as a place of adventure and future settlement; science tells a very different story.

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Image by WikiImages from Pixabay

Bull-Poppy!

Nan Outer Space, Science, Space Travel , , ,

Harvard scientist proposes six-word message be sent to mysterious object aiming at Earth

Harvard scientist Avi Loeb has proposed that researchers send a six-word message to a mysterious space object called 3I/ATLAS while we still have a chance.

Loeb has suggested the object is more likely to be engineered than a natural space object. As for the message he wants to send? Loeb suggested: “Hello, welcome to our neighborhood. Peace!”

On his blog, Loeb explained how establishing communication with an alien species could be the first step in a longer relationship.

OK, I will concede that some of you reading this may feel it’s worth a try. But the question I must ask is this: What are the chances that any space visitors we might encounter are going to understand the language that has been developed by the inhabitants of THIS planet??!? If “they” are advanced enough to travel through space, certainly they have long surpassed our crude way of communicating.

But I suppose there will always be dreamers. And who knows? The dreamers may ONE DAY be proven right.

The Ongoing Mystery

Nan Outer Space, Science, Space Travel, Universe , , , ,

oregonlights
Lizzy Acker The Oregonian

The following remark was in an article I came across related to “mysterious lights over Oregon.”

“We know life can evolve and is a property of this universe because we’re here,” he said. “How can we think, as big and old the universe is, we’re the only planet where that happened? It’s just really naive and myopic.”

I will be upfront. I do not believe that we are or ever have been “visited” by extraterrestrial life. 

I do admit there was a time in my (much) younger days that such a potentiality was exciting to me and I wanted to believe it might be possible. (I was a BIG fan of science-fiction movies.) However, as I grew older and more mature in my thinking, I discarded this fantasy.

Now I realize there are MANY who continue to cling to this possibility (as demonstrated by the quoted comment) — and maybe you are one of these people. If you are, I feel totally confident you can reference and/or quote sources that validate your perspective.

So … the floor is open. Give it your best shot and see if you can convince those of us who are “non-believers.” 

P.S. You might want to consider using the same or similar tactics as when you confront Christians and their unfounded beliefs.  It could give you practice. 😈

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Addendum (added 12/22/24): “No, We Will Never Make It …”

The Presence of Life

Nan Life, Outer Space , ,

stars-gb8bbbe5a5_640

Someone on another blog recently made this comment about potential life in the Universe …

[T]here are billions of planets, the likelihood that at least one will have conditions capable of giving rise to life is good. Indeed, the sheer enormity of numbers makes it highly probable.

Do you agree with this reasoning? Why or why not?

Just as an FYI, I do not agree. I feel life on this planet was a chance event. I do realize this is not the common thinking by some individuals of the scientific bent (as indicated in the above quote); however, considering the size and composition of the universe discovered thus far, I find it next-to-impossible that “life” —as we know it— is a common, or even an inevitable, occurrence.

There are those who have advanced the theory that “non-intelligent” life may be possible (I’m not going to touch that description), but as one source noted:  Observing signs of possible microbial life in exoplanet atmospheres is currently just out of reach. 

So I ask again … do you agree with the above-quoted comment? Why or why not? And if you agree, I hope you will offer some thoughts on whether you think the life might be humanoid … and if it is, does it know “God”??? 😈

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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay