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I watched Free Solo not long ago, yesterday I watched Falcon 9 launch then land flawlessly and today I watched Dragon 2 dock with the ISS. It's mind boggling h

I watched Free Solo not long ago, yesterday I watched Falcon 9 launch then land flawlessly and today I watched Dragon 2 dock with the ISS. It's mind boggling how apt humans are to what should be impossible.

pishpash 8y ago
Imagine the energy and money spent on bickering and wars and ultimately useless junk were not.
- kbutler 8y ago
  I'm not a fan of war, but many technologies and sciences were developed for military use, everything from mathematics for ballistics, food preservation, thermodynamics, antibiotics, nuclear energy, the lunar program, and GPS. So yes, war is a horrendous waste and terrible detriment to humanity, but even war has had some beneficial side effects.
  - pishpash 8y ago
    The same effort can be put into inventing these in the absence of conflict. You do need funding and you do need urgency, but that's a question of national will.
    - kbutler 8y ago
      ...and war seems to be the most effective source of national will.
    - stordoff 8y ago
      Unfortunately, it (often) _isn't_. I'd love to live in that world, but it doesn't seem realistic.
- MarcysVonEylau 8y ago
  Just wait until you hear about Wernher von Braun.
  - pishpash 8y ago
    And how is that a refutation, logically?
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
    - MarcysVonEylau 8y ago
      War has enabled his "useless" creations.
samcday 8y ago
Oooh, I'm eagerly awaiting that film to screen in Berlin later this month! I loved Alex's TED talk. Just that little taste had my palms very, very sweaty.
- mandeepj 8y ago
  Which film?
  - Joe-Z 8y ago
    Apparently there's a documentary coming out about Alex Honnold's free solo ascend of El Capitan. It's called "Free Solo"[1] [1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7775622/?ref_=nv_sr_1 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7775622/?ref_=nv_sr_1
    - lintroller 8y ago
      It was already released and won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at the 2019 Academy Awards. It's something that you should consider viewing if you have the chance. The cinematography alone is worth the price of admission // rental. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/24/movies/oscar-winners.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/24/movies/oscar-winners.html
- skunkworker 8y ago
  National Geographic channel aired it today (March 3rd). But if you have the opportunity to see it on an IMAX size screen, I would wait until that.
- spookyuser 8y ago
  Highly recommended! If you can, see it on IMAX for maximum palm sweating :P

pishpash 8y ago

Imagine the energy and money spent on bickering and wars and ultimately useless junk were not.

kbutler 8y ago
I'm not a fan of war, but many technologies and sciences were developed for military use, everything from mathematics for ballistics, food preservation, thermodynamics, antibiotics, nuclear energy, the lunar program, and GPS. So yes, war is a horrendous waste and terrible detriment to humanity, but even war has had some beneficial side effects.
- pishpash 8y ago
  The same effort can be put into inventing these in the absence of conflict. You do need funding and you do need urgency, but that's a question of national will.
  - kbutler 8y ago
    ...and war seems to be the most effective source of national will.
  - stordoff 8y ago
    Unfortunately, it (often) _isn't_. I'd love to live in that world, but it doesn't seem realistic.
MarcysVonEylau 8y ago
Just wait until you hear about Wernher von Braun.
- pishpash 8y ago
  And how is that a refutation, logically?
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
  - MarcysVonEylau 8y ago
    War has enabled his "useless" creations.

samcday 8y ago

Oooh, I'm eagerly awaiting that film to screen in Berlin later this month! I loved Alex's TED talk. Just that little taste had my palms very, very sweaty.

mandeepj 8y ago
Which film?
- Joe-Z 8y ago
  Apparently there's a documentary coming out about Alex Honnold's free solo ascend of El Capitan. It's called "Free Solo"[1] [1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7775622/?ref_=nv_sr_1 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7775622/?ref_=nv_sr_1
  - lintroller 8y ago
    It was already released and won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at the 2019 Academy Awards. It's something that you should consider viewing if you have the chance. The cinematography alone is worth the price of admission // rental. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/24/movies/oscar-winners.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/24/movies/oscar-winners.html
skunkworker 8y ago
National Geographic channel aired it today (March 3rd). But if you have the opportunity to see it on an IMAX size screen, I would wait until that.
spookyuser 8y ago
Highly recommended! If you can, see it on IMAX for maximum palm sweating :P