Ad Astra (Lippold sculpture)

Here’s one of the more interesting sculptures in DC. Ad Astra, in Latin, means To The Stars! I have heard from time to time the rationale that we need to colonize other planets because we may mess this one up so badly at some point it will be necessary to leave it in order to preserve the human species.

And here is my response to this notion. If we manage to somehow make this planet uninhabitable we do not deserve a new one. And our species should not be allowed to export our peculiar brand of insanity somewhere else. There should be a limit to consumerism as we know it. Disposable planets, anyone?

But, hopefully, it will not come to this.  We should know a lot more this time next year if all the recent news reports are for real.  

Outside the Air And Space Museum. . .