We Are Not Alone

I enjoy dreaming along with the writers of science fiction books, TV and movies, but for a daily dose of reality and to keep my feet firmly planted on planet Earth I read the papers, watch my share of television news, listen to the radio, browse the web and try and stay informed. To celebrate Earth Day I turned on the TV and saw a story about the Human 2 Mars Summit, which was held that day in Washington D.C.

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) administrator Charles Bolden gave a speech in support of Mars exploration. "If this species is to survive indefinitely, we need to become a multi-planet species," Bolden said. "We, today, are Earth-reliant. We're dependent on being on this planet. We are not a multi-planet species yet … Only multi-planet species survive for long periods of time."

Thinking perhaps I had misunderstood him, I hit the replay button on my DVR and listened to him again.  Later, still in a state of disbelief, I went to the internet in an attempt to verify what I thought I heard him say.  I found his remarks at www.space.com/25594-nasa-mars-missions-multi-planet-species.html

“Only multi-planet species survive for long periods of time." That’s quite a statement from the administrator of NASA, who was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009. Bolden is also a retired United States Marine Corps Major General and former NASA astronaut. Obviously the man’s not alien to space travel.

But what manner of multi-planet life is Bolden referring to? I am not aware of any species from other planets – single or multi. I also have not read or heard about anyone from this planet who has taken up long term residence on another planet. Even Mr. Bolden seems to agree as he stated, “We are not a multi-planet species yet.”

So he must be referring to those from other planets who have survived for long periods of time on planets (Earth?) other than their own. To my knowledge life with multi-planet residencies exists only in pretend – in books, movies and TV.  I refer to Barrie, Roddenberry and Bradbury.

J. M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan, told us how to get to Neverland, “Second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning.” Captain Kirk from the TV show and then movie, Star Trek, even quoted this line when he instructed his navigator, Chekov, during the final moments in a movie. Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek and the original shows began with this retelling of the five year mission of the starship Enterprise, “…to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.”

Although space may be the final frontier, I don’t believe we have yet encountered new life or new civilizations past the first or even the second star. We may someday; I pray they’re friendly.

The administrator of NASA may be trying to introduce us to the benefits of multi-planet residency. I just hope someday he doesn’t say, “If you like your planet you can keep your planet,” because I like it here and I don’t want to move. Either Bolden was telling the truth because he knows something we don’t, or he was dreaming.

Ray Bradbury, the author of The Martian Chronicles, a collection of short stories about the colonization of Mars by humans wrote, “You don’t question Providence. If you can’t have the reality, a dream is just as good.”