I'm making a point about the value of manned space flight in a thread that concerns the most amazing piece of equipment we have to look at the stuff out there in, you know, the Universe. What does the rest of it have to do with the Hubble?
Actually it is an example of how manned space flight turned a worthless POS into an amazing tool. Then 4 more trips were made both to repair and to enhance it's capabilities far beyond the original specs. Hubble does not exist without manned space flight.
No post yet of the Galaxy Song? You guys are slipping! <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/buqtdpuZxvk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/buqtdpuZxvk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Well considering the pretty much perfect conditions that are required for life and the fact that the Earth just so happens to fall in line with every single one of those very numerous variables... I don't think you're an idiot if you believe there is no other intelligent life. I don't know if there is or isn't other life... but if all of these numbers about how large the universe is are correct, then I don't think it's worth my time to ponder, because we will truly never know.
Who are we to say what conditions are required for other life throughout the universe? The fact that Earthlings wouldn't be able to survive on a certain planet with condition X or Y really doesn't mean squat.
