May 16, 2013

Sad to see that the Kepler planet-hunting Space telescope is broken and probably can't be fixed. Launched in 2009, it has confirmed beyond doubt that planetary systems are abundant in our galaxy. Recently, the Kepler turned up two planets of a star about 1,200 light years away that are comparable in size to Earth and within the star's "habitable zone" –- not too hot and not too cold. It will take future generations of missions and instruments before we can ever confirm that life exists on any such planet, and we can't imagine being able to visit one, so vast is the distance between the sun and other star systems. Nonetheless, cosmic investigations, among which the Kepler played a significant role, can make us feel more connected with the universe, more conscious of our place in it, and perhaps a little wiser. Lately, there have been indications that humans are becoming so besieged by earthly problems –– injustices, depletion of resources, pollution, climate change, wars, pandemics, and so forth –- that it's by no means certain that we'll continue to mount ever more sophisticated space explorations. If that happens––if we stop looking outward–- I think it will be a sign that we're shrinking.