Thursday, April 15, 2010

In the unlikely event of first contact with an alien civilization...


Click on the thing on the left to make it big enough to read, because you might want to think this whole thing through a little.

These helpful instructions were sent to me by my friend Ken Rose, and the author is some guy who gives his email as ian(at)union(dot)io.

While I realize that a nice humorous situation is not the best time to bring up big philosophical issues, when I write "Oh me of little faith" up at the top of my blog, I ain't just whistlin' Dixie. The whole idea of Jesus returning in glory to judge the living and the dead? Not buyin' it. But also, contact with alien cultures? I don't think that's in the cards, either.

The idea of alien races is the great faith of people who read science fiction. For me, while I don't think we've figured everything out yet, I think Einstein has done the math right and faster than light travel isn't in the cards. That means space travel takes a lo-o-o-o-o-o-ng time to get to even the next solar system, and who knows if there are any useful planets there?

Right now, there is a kerfuffle about NASA funding. I don't have a dog in this fight. If they could say "Hey! Here's a lovely spot! It's got water and it's got some breathable gas with nice levels of oxygen!", I'd be like all "Dude, let's pack up and go! Like now, dude, let's get a move on!" But nobody has shown us that place, so I'm not convinced even in the great hope for the future subscribed to by many nerds I respect.

So what, Matty Boy? You think were just doomed?

Well, hypothetical question asker, if you are talking about the long term... yeah, pretty much. Enjoy it while it lasts.