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Things like this make me sad, because I fear that the optimism of my own generation regarding things like space exploration, genetic engineering, nanotechnology
by ryanwaggoner 18y ago
Things like this make me sad, because I fear that the optimism of my own generation regarding things like space exploration, genetic engineering, nanotechnology, and other potential technological leaps forward are just as futile and fanciful as the last generation's were. Someone cheer me up :)
And also, how the hell did we put men on the moon in the 1960s?
- bd 18y agoAnd also, how the hell did we put men on the moon in the 1960s? And it was for mere $135 billion (in 2005 dollars). [1] That's less than $20 for every person currently alive on Earth (6.8 billion). [2] Or about $170 for every citizen of US+EU combined (~800 million). Amazing what we can achieve when we focus. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Apollo#Program_costs_and_cancellation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Apollo#Program_costs_an... [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population
- jerf 18y agoFutile? Look around, they're happening. Now. Don't look on CNN, though. It gave up science coverage. There's been a lot of progress made in the fields of "things journalists don't really understand", which encompasses an ever-wider range of stuff, including robotics, materials science, biology in general, private space research, and several other things. Oh, your really fanciful stuff might be impossible, but the merely possible is happening. Just... slower than you'd like, but still, happening.
- ryanwaggoner 18y agoForgive my ignorance, but what are some good sources to read about stuff like this?