[meteorite-list] Idle speculation on panspermia

From: Jerry Flaherty <grf2_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:31:39 -0400
Message-ID: <32E7075F09A64C30B33F705D4D8B21E7_at_ASUS>

You Never Know?!

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Rob McCafferty" <rob_mccafferty at yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 7:54 PM
To: "E.P. Grondine" <epgrondine at yahoo.com>;
<meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Idle speculation on panspermia

> I agree, at least in part.
>
> Panspermia may not be the motivation to explore Europa and in truth, a
> decent sub-surface examination of that world will require a far greater
> commitment than $4Bn.
> The NEO programme needs a far greater commitment, as does any programme to
> counter such a threat that an NEO amy pose.
>
> I suppose it's all a question of budget. I am angry at the money put in to
> shoring up the banks that have put our economy on the verge of collapse,
> particularly since they seem unrepentant and want to use the money we have
> gifted them to return to earning more of the fat earnings they got before
> the collapse.
>
> The thought that the Constellation programme risks being shelved because
> of the recent problems is abhorent. And in the UK we look at a terrible
> situation for much of our future at the mercy of commerce.
>
> As a child, I'd hoped that mankind would begin colonising the Solar
> System. Thanks to recent events, I look like having ALL my dreams for the
> future of humanity crushed. Not just for my lifetime but for the 2-3
> generations to follow me. All because of the greed of a handful of people
> who don't realise that a single rock from space could wipe out everything
> they or their progeny could have.
> And we seem powerless to do anything about it.
>
> In 100Ma, some species will be wondering how we managed to end up extinct.
>
> Rob McC
>
> --- On Tue, 9/22/09, E.P. Grondine <epgrondine at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> From: E.P. Grondine <epgrondine at yahoo.com>
>> Subject: [meteorite-list] Idle speculation on panspermia
>> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>> Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2009, 12:30 AM
>> Hi all -
>>
>> One of the reasons why panspermia etc. play such a role in
>> debate regards
>> some peoples' obsessions with manned flight to Mars, and
>> the problem of back-contamination.
>>
>> Bottom line: we don't know. Other bottom line: it's not all
>> that important to know right now.
>>
>> I read with frustration and anger reports of NASA proposing
>> to spend $4 billion on the question of life on Europa, while
>> spending as near $0 as they can get away with on finding the
>> next piece of space crud headed our way.
>>
>> Could someone fire Weiler now? Tomorrow morning?
>>
>> E.P.
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
>
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Received on Mon 21 Sep 2009 08:31:39 PM PDT