I have always believed that the notion that we are alone in the universe is among the most arrogant, myopic beliefs ever put forth by human kind.  There is a very real possibility that we will encounter extraterrestrial life, or evidence that it once existed, long before we leave our solar system (if it has not already been discovered).

I found the premise of this article to be quite interesting and insightful.  Current events, like the recent announcement of 192Lb, continue to increase our count of extra solar planets and push our understanding of the range of stars capable of harboring planets further, making for a timely revisit of Drake’s equation.  I suspect the sum of intelligent life the Drake equation attempts to define will likely continue to increase, along with our understanding of the universe.

You might find it hard to believe that someone like myself, who would not be terribly surprised if extraterrestrial life were discovered tomorrow, could be shocked by much.  However it never ceases to amaze me how many columnist, regardless of topic, manage to tie everything back to George W. Bush.  Do they wake up in the morning and say “I think I’ll write an article today about the possibility of extraterrestrial life and, before I am done, will further demonize that nasty man in the White House!”

I wonder if Bush’s “plan” for a return to the moon, and a manned mission to Mars, would be been characterized as “bad and wasteful” had it been proposed by a future president Obama?  I think not.  It would be likened to JFK’s call that started our race to the moon.

As we rapidly approach the 40th anniversary of Man’s landing on the Moon, I think our failure to return in all that time is an utter travesty.  Nothing would be met with more excitement, enthusiasm, or have as much impact on our planet’s entire population than a manned mission to Mars.  Imagine if instead of pictures from yet another rover, we were talking right now about the words spoken by the first man to set foot on the red planet -words destined to echo through history - following the message, “Houston, the Phoenix has landed.”

Perhaps I am a hopeless romantic.  I cringe myself when I think about the billions the US has spent waging war in Iraq that might have taken us to Mars and back again.  However my point here is not to debate US foreign policy, right or wrong.  A science column (or response to one) is not the place.  

What I do know is the day we crush out fires that burn in the souls of men, and relegate them to the “ash heap of history” we are doomed as a species.  Our destiny lies among the stars.

Never mind, the LHC is going to prove Fermi's paradox. The reason we don't hear anyone out there is that they too, had to build and try out a Large Hadron Collider on their home world.