In our preoccupation with more "mundane" issues like gun-related violence in schools (another incident happened Thursday, January 10 at Taft Union High School, California), we may have missed seemingly innocuous news released in the media.
Astronomers announced in the January 6-10, 2013 meeting of the American Astronomical Society the discovery of "earth-like" planets. Significantly, one of them has all three qualities scientists are looking for in a twin earth. The planet has the right temperature for water to exist, is only 1.5 times the size of earth, and is orbiting around a star that is much like our sun.
Understandably, the scientists gave no details. It will surely take some time and money to learn more about the latest finds. Still, the news titillates the imagination. It throws lifelines and offers salvation for what many consider to be our "dying planet."
I wonder. Are the inhabitants, if any, of "twin earth" plagued by the same issues and challenges that we face?
Do they look like Darth Vader with firearms for appendages?
Do they stick out their tongues at each other and wag them briskly as a way of saying "hello"?
Do they make kidney pies of fellow creatures?
Will they welcome us with wide smiles on their faces and gift us with flowers and doobies?
Do they look like Darth Vader with firearms for appendages?
Do they stick out their tongues at each other and wag them briskly as a way of saying "hello"?
Do they make kidney pies of fellow creatures?
Will they welcome us with wide smiles on their faces and gift us with flowers and doobies?
But should "twin earth" be uninhabited, would we humans be able to begin anew in another planet?
Would we then be mindful of the mistakes we still don't seem to have learned from, even after centuries of so-called civilization during which we also decimated tribes and nations, not to mention their cultures; created innovative torture techniques for both civilians and prisoners of war; depleted forests and drove wildlife into extinction; and over-fished and poisoned rivers and seas?
Would kneeling on the ground and kissing each other's feet be then our new and only acceptable way of saying "hello"?
Would we then be mindful of the mistakes we still don't seem to have learned from, even after centuries of so-called civilization during which we also decimated tribes and nations, not to mention their cultures; created innovative torture techniques for both civilians and prisoners of war; depleted forests and drove wildlife into extinction; and over-fished and poisoned rivers and seas?
Would kneeling on the ground and kissing each other's feet be then our new and only acceptable way of saying "hello"?
Beam me up Scotty!
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| Photo courtesy of NASA |
- Ariel Murphy
gee, i was already hoping to join OBAMA on Mars after he retires. we will need faster transportation there either way.
ReplyDelete~from robert zito http://www.facebook.com/robertzito50
Ariel Murphy...take me with you if you go.
ReplyDeleteI am still trying to get to learn more about doobies and practicing kissing feet. Thanks guys! Appreciate your comments and reading my blogs.
ReplyDeleteLove this one...have often thought about it - hope we find a peaceful civilization someday !
ReplyDeleteDon't know if our hopes are realistic Pete. But we all we can do is well...hope. :)
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We can only live in peace and harmony if we recognize God in other people and all his creation. We are all connected!
ReplyDeleteLouise, the words "honor" and "respect" might one day disappear from our dictionary.
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