SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
MISSION CONTROL:
Dr. Rice, why are we, as human beings, so fascinated
with space exploration?
DR. JIM RICE:
You know, our bodies are literally made of star stuff.
If you ever wonder where the iron in our blood comes
from, well that came from a star that lived billions of
years ago and went through its life cycle and died and
created iron in a nuclear reaction. It split the iron and it
spread through the universe and eventually formed us.
The calcium in our bones came from a star that is
long gone too. All the gold, the silver, everything we
have – all these elements came from stars that lived
and died billions of years ago. So we’re literally made
of star dust, our bodies, and I think one reason we
look at the sky is its kind-of like our home. We came
from there.
I have no doubt that humans will leave this planet and
Mars is likely the first step to colonize it and set up
settlements there just like the New World happened
500 years ago. There’s no doubt in my mind that
it’s going to happen. The question is what kind of
timescale?
Who knows! The first footsteps are passing; We’re doing
those right now. It’s all leading there. For me personally,
I hope the United States maintains leadership in doing
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it. To all those people who say it’s a waste of time
and money, I say if it’s a waste of money and a waste
of time, then why is everyone around the world so
interested in doing these things? That ought to tell
you something.
Just last night, I was out looking out at the Moon,
Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. I was thinking you know, as
I looked at those objects, the United States has either
something in orbit around all those object or crawling
around on their surfaces or both. It’s an amazing time to
be alive. It’s frustrating as well, because we could have
had people on Mars decades ago, if it was a priority.
Imagine if Galileo, Newton and Kepler appeared today,
they’d be blown away by the technology and the fact
that we do have spacecraft. They’d be blown away by
what we’re doing. Then it would start sinking in that
you could have done so much more. They’d be mad.
We didn’t have the technology; We didn’t have the
capability! You just don’t want to do it. That’s kind of
pathetic when you think about it.
You have to compete.