Mankind has 200 years left...

[GDS_Starfury]

The resources needed to go to the mood exceed the ability of 50 or 100 or 1000 of us.

how much aveeno do you need to get into the mood man?

[LongBlade]

The resources needed to go to the mood exceed the ability of 50 or 100 or 1000 of us.

how much aveeno do you need to get into the mood man?

A lot more if you're in the picture.

[MikeGER]

That doesn't mean we should be satisfied with the way things are going, but I'm not worried about our fate in two centuries.

indeed i concentrate on the next two month, two years, two maybe three decades ...if they find a way to store my mind in an android and or 'refresh' the human body then i start worrying for longer times ;) O0

Hawking left out of the equitation that humans are maybe just an evolutionary step to intelligent bio-mechanical life forms who can draw energy and survive much easier in the harsh and wide environment of the universe

when does the computational power / neural network reach the complexity ...to develop consciousness and awake?     

[Steelgrave]

We roll our eyes when the countdown gets to 3...2...1... on the big screen moments before Captain Kirk or even Tom Cruise saves the day. God rolls His eyes at us because, in reality....that's exactly what we do.

When I was ten, watching Apollo 11 land on the moon, eagerly awaiting Star Trek every Thursday night, I just knew that by the time I was 40 (an unimaginably old age to contemplate), I would be stepping into a Robert Heinlein universe. After we landed on the Moon, we were the high school football hero, celebrating, high-fiveing and banging the head cheerleader after the big game....only to take vows of celibacy the morning after.

Man, did we ever get off track or what?

[Barthheart]

Exactly! If space flight had followed the same progression path as manned flight we'd have colonized half of the solar system by now....

We should already be using a manned moon base as the starting point for reaching other planets... instead we built the next to useless ISS.

We need to get a shit together right now if there's any chance to get off this tiny ball of dirt. Waiting until we NEED to get off the planet will be way too late.

[Centurion40]

There have been predictions that "the end is nigh" since we've had people to predict.

Smart as Hawking is I would bet against him. Might things get ugly? Sure.

Extinction? No way.

That doesn't mean we should be satisfied with the way things are going, but I'm not worried about our fate in two centuries.

Agreed.

[mirth]

Meh. We've had a good run as a species.

[LongBlade]

Exactly! If space flight had followed the same progression path as manned flight we'd have colonized half of the solar system by now....

We should already be using a manned moon base as the starting point for reaching other planets... instead we built the next to useless ISS.

We need to get a shit together right now if there's any chance to get off this tiny ball of dirt. Waiting until we NEED to get off the planet will be way too late.

IIRC we stopped sending people to the moon because it got boring. At least that's what I've read (don't have the source - this resides as a fragment of memory from something).

When folks quit thinking travel to the moon was a big deal they pulled the plug.

Bummer, as I'd have preferred to be commanding a starship (instead of a pewter armada) if given the opportunity.

[Barthheart]

Exactly! If space flight had followed the same progression path as manned flight we'd have colonized half of the solar system by now....

We should already be using a manned moon base as the starting point for reaching other planets... instead we built the next to useless ISS.

We need to get a shit together right now if there's any chance to get off this tiny ball of dirt. Waiting until we NEED to get off the planet will be way too late.

IIRC we stopped sending people to the moon because it got boring. At least that's what I've read (don't have the source - this resides as a fragment of memory from something).

When folks quit thinking travel to the moon was a big deal they pulled the plug.

Bummer, as I'd have preferred to be commanding a starship (instead of a pewter armada) if given the opportunity.

It got boring because they had no plan on what to do once they got there. All they did was go there and bring back some rocks.
They should have begin a program somewhat like was described here: lob a bunch of prefab buildings at the moon, send guys up to put them together until you have a viable place to live.
This is exactly what they did to build the ISS but it was in low earth obit and pretty much useless as a space base.

We are screwed as a species if we don't get off this tiny little world..... and soon.....

[mirth]

I think what is being overlooked is that most, if not all, of the great pushes of exploration and colonization in human history were motivated by potential economic gain, not altruistic motivations.

If there were gold, diamonds, or oil abundant on Mars, that could cost effectively be exploited, we'd be there.

Everything we're talking about now would cost vast sums of money with no potential ROI.

Greed will get us to the stars.

[MetalDog]

I agree with that sentiment, mirth.  But I would think that greed was already in place.  You would think that mineral wealth would be abundant on the moon, Mars AND the asteroid belt.  That's why I am perplexed as to why there aren't people clamoring to get out there.  Whether it be governments OR private citizens.  Besides, if we focus on getting out there, it will take a laser like focus to do it.  That leaves less time and effort to killing ourselves down here.

[LongBlade]

I think what is being overlooked is that most, if not all, of the great pushes of exploration and colonization in human history were motivated by potential economic gain, not altruistic motivations.

If there were gold, diamonds, or oil abundant on Mars, that could cost effectively be exploited, we'd be there.

Everything we're talking about now would cost vast sums of money with no potential ROI.

Greed will get us to the stars.

Excellent point. Greed - or the need for some other resource.

That's what makes a one-way trip to Mars so crazy - there is no compelling reason for us to do it. Those folks are going to get bored quickly IMHO.

[mirth]

That's what makes a one-way trip to Mars so crazy - there is no compelling reason for us to do it. Those folks are going to get bored quickly IMHO.

There will be a burgeoning Martian porn industry.

[Steelgrave]

That's what makes a one-way trip to Mars so crazy - there is no compelling reason for us to do it. Those folks are going to get bored quickly IMHO.

There will be a burgeoning Martian porn industry.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!

[LongBlade]

That's what makes a one-way trip to Mars so crazy - there is no compelling reason for us to do it. Those folks are going to get bored quickly IMHO.

There will be a burgeoning Martian porn industry.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!

Let me guess: Two Girls, One Planet.