02-25-2014, 08:22 AM
(02-25-2014, 08:14 AM)Dalex Wrote: Well I think every one has to admit that world we live in is a little underwhelming compared to science fiction.
Also unlike writers from beginning of 20th century modern writers can't write about live on Mars or Venus or anywhere in Sol without going into alternate reality (yes there is Europa and other icy moons but those aren't offering much for common reader).
Plus we are still stuck in LEO and we have detected no signals of alien civilizations. That is for many people a disappointment.
If you don't believe me ask yourself. How would space exploration continue if we found bacteria on Mars?
I typed a reply to specific points you made but navigated away by accident. Short version is that I disagree quite a bit with the unquestioned assumption this argument uses: that the future = space and everything else is underwhelming. There's no reason why we can't have fantastic, big-idea SF that doesn't involve spaceships and Mars colonies.
Incidentally I doubt bacteria on Mars would change space exploration much other than to provoke a short lived public interest, a longer term series of academic discussion and a change in policy for future probes to carry more microbiology equipment. Oh and it would mean that in future discussions about future space colonisation exo-environmentalist arguments will get a higher priority.