Y. Karp? Why Not!

I have long been convinced that we are not alone in the universe. Perhaps my love of science fiction fuels my dreams of visiting far-flung societies. Or perhaps it's my suppressed adventurous spirit that makes me wonder what exactly is out there, in the deep black, beyond our current reach. Maybe it's because I hope another civilization did better than us. Right now, there could be another world where the population is preparing for an annual festival, with colored streamers, music, and fancy dress. Or maybe there's a raging war on a once prosperous world where tragedy and turmoil are ripping society apart. Maybe a teenage alien is sitting by her window, staring up at the moons, wondering if we exist. Or just maybe aliens from outer-space are planning to invade Earth and eat us all, but wouldn't it be worth it, just to know? Okay, maybe not the being eaten part... According to Space.com : All in all, Hubble reveals an estimated 100 billion galaxies in the univer...

In a conversation with the Mars Curiosity team at NASA, US President Barack Obama asked them to call him if they find aliens . Later on he said: It’s really what makes us best as a species – the curiosity we have, yearning to discover, the pushing boundaries of knowledge. But these sentiments don't jive with his proposed 2013 budget, which includes drastic cuts to NASA funding . In his opinion, government-funded space research and exploration (even with its valuable tie-ins with military advancement) should not be the government's concern. Despite the obvious advantages to the economy and defense, space is just not a priority. But Obama has badly misread the landscape. The world is abuzz with space news: the Curiosity mission to Mars (Aug 2012) the death of Neil Armstrong (Aug 2012) the international space station (Sep 2012) the retirement of the Space Shuttle Endeavor (Sep 2012) amazing images beamed back from Voyager 1 from the edge of interstellar space (S...

Just two days ago NASA announced the discovery of a planet that could possibly host life. It's called Kepler 22-b. The planet is about 2.4 times the size of Earth and is just far enough away from its sun to possibly be habitable. Kepler 22-b is situated 600 light years from Earth. This means that, with current technology, it will only take you about 7 million years to get there . Assuming that there is sentient life on Kepler 22-b, and assuming that they have the same level of technology as us, we only have about 7 million years until the invasion force arrives. Disclaimer: If there is a sudden run on supermarkets and if there is widespread looting and general mayhem in the streets, I had nothing to do with it... Follow on Twitter: @ykarp Subscribe to Y. Karp? Why Not! or follow on Facebook (see the side-bar). Add this blog to your RSS feed reader.

Let me just say this: I don't know much about this man as a person. I haven't done research into either his private or public lives. I don't know what his politics are and I don't know if he really is a nice guy, or if he just presents well, but I am in awe of Sir Richard Branson  who seems to look at the current state of technology and ask, "How can I take this to the next level?" He thinks big. Virgin Galactic is a perfect example. It is true that SpaceshipOne was not Branson's idea, and the original technology was not developed by Virgin (it was  Burt Rutan's  design). However, it took a person as flamboyant and visionary as Richard Branson to recognize the potential. He became one of the driving forces behind making regular, safe space flight into a reality with Virgin Galactic. True, it costs $200,000 for a space ticket  and the spacecraft are still being tested, but the price will come down (although possibly not in my lifetime!) and Virgin Ga...