In the past, on Earth, it has largely been to exploit foreign resources and to expand the domestic territory. Barney Oliver domesticearthexpand Change image and share on social
Antimatter is not a source of energy for us, it's a method of storing energy, compact but inefficient. Barney Oliver antimattercompactenergy Change image and share on social
No one can deny the excitement of visiting another world. Barney Oliver denyexcitementvisit Change image and share on social
The factor most ignored in discussing interstellar flight is the kinetic energy that must be invested in the ship to make its tons of matter move at a substantial fraction of the speed of light. Barney Oliver discussenergyfactor Change image and share on social
Present annual world energy consumption is about equal to the annihilation energy of 4 tons of matter. Barney Oliver annihilationannualconsumption Change image and share on social
Above all, I would not expect a wise race, at great expense, to set loose an army of self-replicating robots. Barney Oliver armyexpectexpense Change image and share on social
It would be a pity if, frustrated by the price of travel, we elected to become a society that never made contact, that never gave SETI a fair chance. Barney Oliver chancecontactelect Change image and share on social
The sun and its retinue of planets drift as a group through the vast gulfs of space that separate the stars. Barney Oliver driftgroupgulf Change image and share on social
Years of science fiction have produced a mindset that it is human destiny to expand from Earth, to the Moon, to Mars, to the stars. Barney Oliver destinyearthexpand Change image and share on social
If interstellar travel is as time- or energy- demanding as the above figures indicate, it is far from obvious what the motive for colonization might be. Barney Oliver colonizationdemandenergy Change image and share on social