Timothy Cooper's Blog: 2020: A Politically Divine Blog - Posts Tagged "pluto"

Though there's not a word posted about the cosmic event on the Washington Post's website now, the headline burns everywhere else across the sky: "Kepler unearths 'Earth 2.0.'" No doubt you've read by now the news. The people of Earth may have found a second home. One day, it--or one like it--may provide us--or our children's children's children's children's--a very fresh start. So long, of course, as intelligent life doesn't already exist there, which of course it definitely might. In which case, we'll go on. But make no mistake, at least according to those who should know, a place out there awaits.

Yes, these are fabled times. It's the dawn of a breathy new age inter-planetary habitation, and the fields of spatial dark appear to be awash with luminous discoveries. It's enough to thrill the heart and brain, power them by sustainable solar energy.

Thanks to the folks at NASA, new frontiers of light summon us out into the crystal night, even as we toil in earth-bound fields populated by the likes of ISIS, Donald Trump and bankrupt Greeks. (I'm referring to you, too, Putin.) Yes, even as our fragile planet hots up and oceans rise and marine life shrinks, there is a new great light in the sky. Thanks to NASA--and all those men and women with really good right brains--a stupendous gift has been given us: Inter-planetary inspiration of the highest order. And I thought New Horizon's Pluto fly-by did it for me.

It's been the Month of Marvel.

So I guess it's official: We live in truly fabled times. We now reside on a highway bound for our human destiny, if not what may pass for eternity. With that knowledge comes an accelerating hope, traveling at the speed of light. Or so it seems. For we've been offered a second human home. Well, maybe. But you can bet the manufacturing of brand new magic carpet ride to galaxies is somewhere on the agenda. No doubt entrepreneurs like Richard Branson are on it even now, putting on drawing boards imaginative plans for this world's first commercial shuttle to "Earth 2.0". There's no stopping us now. Or so I prefer to hope.

With any luck, humankind-- with all its lively if not endearing foibles as well as its unending capacity for committing unspeakable atrocities in the name of contradicting ideologies, may, just may, one day get there. It may, in fact, a long, long way down the road, take multiple steps down the pathway to an evolving human destiny, leapfrogging from planet to planet, all the while growing evermore worthy of advancing to the next step by living better, more compassionate lives. Who knows? It could happen.

But between now and then when Branson's granddaughter's granddaughter's granddaughter perfects her first inter-planetary shuttle, we need to collate our lessons, the hard lessons learned right here on "Earth 1.0". And then get ready to strive like hell to get it right before we go another round.

Still, let's pause for a moment and enjoy this very merry month of marvel, and welcome the stunning idea that humankind may have, at last, found a new home.