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The opinion of the
majority of scientists is, nowhere. We are born, we live and we died
and that is it.
But, if we restrict the
amplitude of this question, if we compact the limits of the visible
material sphere, we will verify that the history is quiet different.
Ask any disciple of science: “Where is humanity
heading with its material progress?” and a fantastic world of
possibilities will open up immediately. With surprising patience,
unsuspecting knowledge and undisguised pride, will cynically talk
about the marvels that await us. So, let us see, what the scientific
prophets say:
To begin with, many simply
preach that science will overcome death. For as incredible as it may
seem, the number of this converted flock that believe in material
eternity is growing increasingly. Some of the more fortunate believers
have already been anointed through cryogenics, a process of freezing
bodies at a temperature of -196ºC. Apart from their frozen bodies,
these chosen few also hold on to the sacred hope of one day being able
to be resuscitated by science in a kind of microwave oven...
The second most worrying concern
of the scientific futurists, after being acquitted from this topic
concerning the immortality of the soul, will be turned to the Sun. Yes
indeed, at the moment it is estimated that the Sun will continue to
shine normally for at least the next 1.1 billion years (*). Later it
will excessively swell-up and gobble up the closest planets, of which
the Earth is also included. Evidently, at this point all life will
cease, which will sadly include, the up to then happy and immortal
terrestrial human beings.
They assure us that the measures to overcome this
setback is already in the undertaking for several years now:
Already in 1960 it was imagined that man in the
future could build salubrious and acclimatized underground shelters,
if the Sun did not melt the Earth, or otherwise it could be possible
to transport Earth’s entire population to another planet where the
heat would be less intense, Neptune, was the choice.
To date these ideas have already been considerably
improved. A famous cosmologist, in a reaffirmation of his faith, in
the power of technology to be able to save humanity, explained that
the human beings of the future will simply move to another Universe,
or they would free themselves from their bodies to be able to survive
through their thoughts alone... Another scientist visualized the
construction of factories on Mars to produce methane and ammonia that
will be freed continually into the Martian atmosphere. This being
done, it would be sufficient to simply introduce some plants and
bacteria on the planet, specialized in the transformation of gases and
in a short while there would be plenty of oxygen to survive. Easy! A
new home for the human immigrants…
Nowadays, there are also people who would like to
put Earth a safe distance away from the Sun. Others think that we
should move to the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Some others, even more
optimistic with man’s capacity of achievement, foresee the
construction of space cities around the Sun, which will, as time goes
by, link up with each other eventually surrounding the entire star
creating a huge artificial sphere around it. The necessary material
for the construction would be easily obtained by dismantling the
material from Jupiter. For those who find this idea, let us say, a
trifle eccentric, would be content with the assembly of an artificial
ring, and not a sphere around the Sun... All the same, even Earth
would need to be dismantled in order to supply the necessary material
for the construction of new worlds. Even the habitation of hollow
asteroids has not been ruled out either, by filling them up with air.
Finally, we must not forget the construction of cities on
mini-planets, protected by domes, which have been visionary projects
for a long now.
In the words of a respected scientist, these are
“the sober proposals from the spectrum of speculators concerning the
man's future in space...”
In fact, there are even some propositions to
control the activity of the Sun. The ideas that are at the top of this
deranged psychiatric list are quiet sure that humanity will be able to
control several stars also! The author of a book, considered as
scientific, (therefore serious) about the future of the human being
affirms, I quote: “If there is some fundamental law that states we
cannot, occupy and explore our galaxy, with its hundred billion suns
in the next million years, then to date this law is unknown to us.”
Consequently limitless power is therefore reserved for the human
creature of this glorious future!…
Unlimited in fact, is man’s arrogance and
presumption that can only compete with his morbid fantasy generated by
his twisted intellect. All of these things are excrescences of the
intellect that quiet unbelievably act attracting many very good and
sincere people.
And that is how a considerable number of unworried
humans go on winding downwards towards the abyss unaware that they
have made science its deity. Let us hope that some of these people
notice in time that the prophecies about the false prophets does not
just refer to the leaders of religious doctrines.
(*) Respecting the real conditions of our star,
read the essay “The Sun.”
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