Life and Strife on theFinal Frontier

“The administration does not support blowing up planets.” As ludicrous as it sounds, this was the official White House response given to a petition demanding the construction of a “Death Star.” Fans of George Lucas’s “Star Wars” saga will be well aware of what this means; in short, it is a space station the size of the moon whose destructive properties would be powerful enough to eliminate an entire planet.

Over 30,000 Americans have signed the petition. The goal of these signatories — at least those who are not downright nuts — is to stimulate the economy through job creation. Not to mention that it would no doubt be the ultimate weapon on a military defense front.

Aside from their policy of interplanetary detente, the Obama administration has stated that to build such a thing would cost at the very least $850 quadrillion. This would add considerably to the United States’ debt, which is already… astronomical.

Besides, in case of interplanetary conflict, would a single “Death Star” suffice?

It is doubtful.

There exist over 100 billion planets in our galaxy, according to scientists at the latest American Astronomical Society conference in early January. This information was compiled partly thanks to the Kepler telescope, which NASA launched into an orbit similar to that of the Earth in 2009.

Of course, these gargantuan numbers are derived from statistical speculation. More precise attention has been put on 2,740 potential extrasolar planets (that is to say, outside of the solar system), a handful of which have the same dimensions as the Earth and are at a comparable distance from their respective “suns.”

We are proof that, under the precise conditions aforementioned, sustaining life is possible…

For years, we have searched for signs of other life matter in space. To this day, we have little to show for it. Nonetheless, the discovery of these extrasolar planets (less than 20 years ago, not a single one was recognized) gives new life to this quest.

At this time, the scientific goal is to search for a planet on which the conditions would emulate those on Earth — without leaving out the possibility of other forms of life. The size and relative position of the extrasolar planet is clearly vital, as are the presence of carbon and liquid water, the building blocks of life. In a few years, we should be in a position to be able to identify both substances on one of these extrasolar planets.

This exploration is captivating — and one of the most important to which humanity has dedicated itself with regard to the quest for both knowledge and meaning.