With All The Suffering in the World, Why Invest in Science?

“I am looking at the future with concern, but with good hope.” -Albert Schweitzer
As you all know, the most ambitious interplanetary mission ever attempted — Mars Science Laboratory — successfully landed its Curiosity rover on Mars earlier this week. Last night, I had the opportunity to go on my local news and speak a bit about it, and as always, it was an absolute pleasure.
(Video credit: KGW / Ben Lacy / Carey Higgins / Steph Stricklen.)
Of course we got to talk about the rover itself and its science potential, and exactly how much more sophisticated it is than any of its martian predecessors. The sheer fact, alone, that it carries 72 kilograms-worth of science instruments (compared to a mere 5.5 kg for Spirit and Opportunity) should speak volumes. Indeed, the science that we’ll get from Curiosity (it’s already starting) may wind up teaching us more about Mars’ geologic and atmospheric history than all other prior missions combined.
Image credit: NASA / JPL, of the scale of Spirit, Sojourner, and Curiosity.
But it was a question that I walked into the studio unprepared for that I really wanted to highlight for you today. When I mentioned the ...