Lunar Outpost

Yesterday I came across a featured article at NASA on why we humans should go back to the moon, and an argument for building an outpost there. The article covers all the basics: practice for future deeper space exploration, testing of materials, buildings and systems for extra-terrestial use, further deep-space astronomical studies placed on the dark side of the moon (shielded from earth's interferences), and of course, the real biggie - dispersal of the human species to other worlds to ensure the survival of the species.

Yes, it's a topic that borders on the fantastic, the unimaginable. Humans living somewhere other than Earth. It can almost sound paranoid. But you know, it's not sounding all that crazy anymore. Even if Earth never gets hit by a giant meteor, or never has some crazy dictator start a nuclear war and kill off the population, or never has any disaster of epic proportions, it just wouldn't be smart of us to not try to spread out to insure against calamity.

Of course, if anything catastrophic happened to Earth, a lunar outpost couldn't survive long unless some serious work had been accomplished as far as making it viable for independence. This would mean the ability to grow food and make water. Not likely on the moon, at least not anytime soon. The first industrious task is likely to be focused on mining helium 3, while the more intellectual strategies will focus on establishing science outposts for experiments, importantly including those attempting cultivation and solving the water resource problem.

But with all the practice and the things we would learn there, the next step could be Mars. And maybe by then we will have figured out water production and farming. And if we aren't motivated to attempt to live on other planets for our species' survival, then at least to satisfy our innate urge to explore, learn and discover.

It may be hundreds of years before we can figure out how to leave our solar system - at this moment it seems like we never will - but with each step we take, we learn. And I have a small glimmer of hope that we will someday unlock the secret to (relatively fast) interstellar travel and deep space travelers' sustainability.

DDO Free to Play (and D&D hysteria)

Recently I came across news that Dungeons & Dragons Online is going to a free-to-play model. In all my excitement I have been spending time at their website reading up on classes and races and all those goodies that go along with a D&D style game. For some reason I looked up the original D&D on Wikipedia - oh, I remember, I saw an article about a lawsuit that Wizards of the Coast brought against a guy distributing D&D books online. Good ol' Wizards - always out to protect their profit. They're about as controlling as Metallica.

Anyway, as I glanced over the article, I saw the picture of the D&D board and the arms of the folks sitting around the table just scream "NERD!!!" in such a huge fashion that I had to stifle a giggle. And at that point I suddenly remembered, flashback version, how I used to hear stories of how D&D was satanic and if you play it, you are invoking demonic powers and evil magic. Now I am just dumbfounded at the thought. Remember all that hysteria?

The point those superstitious folks missed was that within the human existence, there is greed, avarice, theft, jealousy, honor, duty, justice ... And the overarching story of D&D is the time-honored tale of good vs. evil - that we humans have choices to make and that we can battle evil and conquer the demons that stand in our way (and often learn something about ourselves and our own personal moral choices in the process).

Kids used to play Cowboys and Indians; kids used to play Jedi and Sith (that's newer); kids used to play Pokemon (oh wait, did we remove the bad guys from that play? No one ever pretends to be Team Rocket ... sigh) .... and D&D is just a bunch of friends sitting around playing pretend (knights+sorcerers -think Arthurian legend- vs. monsters) with the human condition as the backdrop.

The monsters and races of Dungeons and Dragons were adapted straight from J.R.R. Tolkien's world - his Lord of the Rings and other works (I am still finding my way through the History of Middle Earth; I'm on book five). I didn't realize until now how extensively he interwined European legends of all sort into his expansive mythology. He was effectively taking all ancient legends and expanding and relating them. It's amazing.

But back in the 70's those college kids that read Tolkien's stuff were enthralled and wanted to play pretend in that fantastic world. And the old miniature military stategy war games were a good medium from which to launch this more grown-up/complex form of play - Gary Gygax started in wargaming long before publishing D&D.

So I never actually played the real pen-and-paper D&D, but by the time Neverwinter Nights computer game came out back in the late 90's, based on the D&D rule books and character classes, etc., I was excited to try it out. I ended up getting stuck in the solo play of that game and didn't want to start over, and the multi-player left a lot to be desired, so I abandoned the game.

Then D&D Online came online a few years ago, but it has been a subscription-only game at $15 per month since its inception, so that kept me from trying it (I don't mind paying a purchase price for the install, but to keep paying a monthly fee is annoying - makes me feel obligated to play - which rips the joy right out of it). But now that they will offer a free-to-play model with a cash shop for optional purchases, I'm psyched.

All these choices ... What will I be? Oh the exhilarating bewilderment!

Fun-Filled Summer Afternoons

Today I cut up old tree trimmings down to size for the trash, procrastinated mowing for a couple of hours to wait for the shade to cover the whole lawn (and went inside and played Animal Crossing), taxied a gaggle of teen girls to the tie-dye clothing shop, grilled (and devoured) some awesome thick pork chops, then later in the lovely late afternoon shade I discovered (with the help of my mower) neatly clipped grass hiding under my semi-shaggy lawn, saw half a dozen fireflies, watched disco lights in the pool, pretended to be a dolphin, and threw pretend fish at the pretend whales (the kids) performing tricks around the fountain. I also spotted a star and then was shown that the big dipper was out.

I'm amazed at all that I packed into this day. It's been a great afternoon and evening. I think I will sleep well.

Upcoming Space Radiation Research

Today NASA's Johnson Space Center list server news announced impending research into the study of the risks of space radiation to humans living in space. This is the next major hurdle we must overcome before we embark on anything longer range than short-term visits to the moon.

Our inability to shield the inhabitants of a space-traveling vehicle from deadly space radiation is not a subject addressed on our fun fictional shows, even that famous standard of television sci-fi, Star Trek. But it does grind our hopes of interplanetary space travel to a screeching halt, at least until this problem is solved.

I wonder what possible solution may lie ahead, and if it will ever be found during my lifetime.

Terraforming

Last week I was walking with our son and as usual we talked about strange and interesting topics, most always related to science in some way. He brought up the subject that we should try to find a planet to terraform and how we could go about it - identifying suitable candidates and then he posited we would need to import plants and animals for sustenance. I pointed out that perhaps there would be existing plant life we could identify as edible (or catalog as poisonous) or even larger animals suitable for meat. We talked about cross-breeding with our crops and all sorts of fun fantastical ideas. Not sure what brought the idea into his head, but yep, that's the discussion we had.

Now today as I flipped through channels, Naked Science on NatGeo, episode "Deadliest Planets," is talking about searching for possibly habitable planets near to Earth. As the name implies, the focus here is on the dangers and challenges we would face on each planet respectively.

These challenges are food for thought - problems and puzzles to be solved.

Star Trek - the new movie

Oh yes, Star Trek was really good. When we first heard of it upcoming, we were skeptical, hoping it wouldn't be an utter departure from everything we all love about Star Trek. And then when I saw the trailer, I was intrigued but still very skeptical. And then when I heard the reviews were astoundingly good, I was even more wary, sure that if the reviewers loved it, that I would hate it.

But they pulled it off. It was a very well-planned and well-done movie in the Star Trek tradition (better than the old whale fiasco).

Chris Pine was uncannily able to emulate William Shatner's posture, head position, cocky half-smile, even the way he held his mouth often just screamed "Shatner." And not so much that it looked unnatural, but just like it was him. Not bad. Not bad at all. When I first saw him, I didn't see much of a resemblence, but as the movie went on he just seemed to become the Kirk we all grew up with. Funny.

Anyway, I'm really glad I got to see it. That was an awesome Mother's Day gift. That and I didn't have to cook - always a bonus.

Tolkien Reading, ongoing

I am still working my way very slowly through The History of Middle Earth. Even though I skip over most of the commentary, it is still slow going. I find myself looking up words that I can't quite place - the most recent was "puissance" (yay for the internet). But I am mesmermized by the intensity of the turmoil and multiple tragedies depicted even in these incomplete sketches. The substance they convey amazes me despite the brevity of passages that imply a pregancy of many chapters just bursting to spill forth from the author's mind.

And then a precise, well-thought gem such as this will spring out from the pages and strike you with the simple beauty of the moral conveyed - speaking of evil Morgoth's shock at his enemies' coming together to overthrow him despite the huge success of the seeds of lies and treachery he had successfully sown many ages past: "For heart that is pitiless counteth not the power that pity hath, of which stern anger may be forged and a lightning kindled before which mountains fall." - from section 17 of The Quenta, HoME IV

Although friends may fight, brothers may disagree and feud, when a common enemy is found out and the friends and brothers reunite and forgive and turn their anger, the wrath that comes down upon that enemy is unmatched. Justice comes to the tale-bearers, the whisperers.

So much pain and anguish for so many, and the promise of triumph tainted by so many tragedies past that could have been thwarted if not for moral weakness. Bittersweet.

Ah, Tolkien weaves a powerful fable into a legendary story spanning millienia. It's beautiful as it is, although painfully incomplete, the promise of 'so much more to tell' just leaps from the page. Again I find myself wishing he could have lived a hundred lifetimes to flesh out these sketches into his full dream of an entire mythology.