Should We Further Explore NASA's Newest Discovery?
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Should We Further Explore NASA's Newest Discovery?

What do you think?

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Should We Further Explore NASA's Newest Discovery?
NASA

As I'm sure you've heard by now, NASA has discovered something huge. Literally. Last Wednesday, NASA officials announced the discovery of a new system inhabited by seven planets, three of which potentially capable of sustaining life. This new information has been widely covered and written about in numerous articles and news stories all around the world as this story is kind of a big deal. Excluding what we have not been told by "Big Brother," this is the closest we have come to potentially discovering life out amongst the stars. Questioning whether or not we are alone in the universe has always been a haunting concept but as of now we have never been closer to finding an answer.

The immediate reaction to news such as this has been mainly positive. While there are no statistics or national averages to authenticate my reasoning, it's human nature to be seduced by the promise of new discoveries. Many friends and family have excitedly talked about how incredible this news is, not just commenting on the discovery but romanticizing the history that has been made. This isn't just an announcement of the new--this could be the dawning of an era.

Some are not so convinced, however. Some say that the discovery of a new system only means an additional cost for taxpayers based on a scientific discovery the next ten generations will not even be alive to see. To these naysayers, this announcement is nothing more than exploitative manipulation to help boost NASA funding--an irresponsible scam as NASA is no longer relevant.

It was a heated debate with my roommates founded by those aforementioned points that spawned the following question: Is further exploration of this discovery a good idea or a colossal waste of time and resources?

Even with the fastest spacecrafts we currently possess-- the Juno, the New Horizons etc. if this system is located nearly 40 light years away from Earth as NASA says so, the mathematical calculations would project thousands of years from now would be our first possible contact with this new environment. In that time, who is to say that the sun does not envelope the Earth? Who is to say all of the money and resources spent to design and construct these crafts isn't wasted if they get damaged on the trip? The risk of this being an incredible waste of time is spectacularly high.

Also, the idea that "it might happen one day," while true, does come with a daunting realization. Yes, we might have the brains to want to oppose science to travel at speeds and forces impossible yet, but in order to break the laws of physics, a cost must be made. The Hadron Collider--located near Switzerland--is the largest and most powerful particle collider ever built.

Built to manipulate the movement and energy of particles, this machine has the capability to construct rifts and black holes. While immediately amazing to anybody that admires literally anything cool, the realization that if anything were to go wrong even in the smallest, slightest malfunction, we could kiss our planet goodbye is terrifying. Playing God can be fun, but it can come at a price.

When concluding my roommate's opposing argument, he made the following comment:

"We must remember to accept the limitations of science. Reality is not pessimism... it's keeping yourself grounded."

He's right. While he was amazed by what scientists are capable of, he walked away knowing full well he will now have to pay for a plan he will never see come to fruition unless scientists accelerate the process by putting the planet in jeopardy. As he dropped the metaphorical microphone, and proceeded back to the couch, the other roommate took a deep breath and delivered his case.

"There is a risk for everything. Are we going to shut the door on progress just because we fail to comprehend it?"


The story of the universe is built on progress. While there have been quite a few bumpy roads here and there, the desire to better ourselves seems to ring consistently. NASA's discovery has a lot of hardships ahead of it, sure, but to announce such a dramatically significant discovery this late in the game proves that we have only begun to unearth the secrets of our universe. The desire to learn, explore, and discover runs through us all and even with the many limitations standing in the way of this discovery, it would betray our humanity to refuse to even try.

How are we supposed to learn if we pick and choose what battles to fight? For example: did you know it's impossible to lick your elbow with your tongue? If you didn't know that, I bet you tried it for yourself as you are far more interested in the art of discovery rather than just taking my word for it. It's what we do. The desire to learn is a strong one and all it takes is an idea to challenge the natural order to change the world.

The aforementioned question has no concrete answer and even if it did, there is no right or wrong. To quote one of my all time favorite movies "Ratatouille,"

"The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends... Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere."

While that quote is more relevant to the skepticism of a rat serving food rather than NASA exploring space, I still find it comforting. This quote conveys the beauty found in leaving comfort zones; to explore outside the norm; to reject the status quo. What NASA is doing by furthering exploring the reaches of outer space goes beyond the act of historical significance and furthers the human experience-- to long after what we don't understand.

This is a debate fueled by emotional passion versus realist logic--the mind versus the heart. Both sides bring up excellent points and if it isn't obvious, this is a debate with no solution or concrete answer. We here at Odyssey like to ask questions and entertain the notion of debate. Human progress begins when we decide to start talking, and while this is a conversation with no real answer, isn't that the entire point of discovery? What do you think?

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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