Please consider watching this professional Astronomer discuss an absolutely mind bending CAL-TECH astronomical concept funded by NASA. Entering phase III development. Want to see other worlds as far away as 100 light years clear as a bell? Resolution so sharp that geography, oceans (H2O or other), plant life (if it exists), mountains, canyons, rivers and perhaps most astonishing of all, the ability to see artifical constructs (erected by sentient intelligence) such as light sources and many other things! It even sees through dense cloud covers like Venus. As much as we all like Star Trek, Star Wars, etc. the REAL method of Human exploration of the Galaxy and the Universe will not be manned or even robotic missions. At least for now. It will be by the Telescope. Watch this if you want to see the very mind bending technology humans are on the cusp of implementing to better understand space and all that is in it. I found it............Incredible. Einstein Rings, String of Pearl Telescopes, Gravitational lensing, 1000 pixel (25 kilometer) resolution, on and on and on.
Quite amazing. I wonder if, due to space travel duration, we need to be able to predict what will be inhabitable in millions (billions) of years until we get there versus what is inhabitable now?
Interesting question. My guess is Scientists or Explorers will use whatever methods are available to "select" the best options as it relates to searching for or going to habitable planets. Although I would suggest to you, that even if humans could reach 95% of light speed, a trip to Alpha Centauri, Earths closest neighbor, is still 4.5 to 5 years, ONE WAY. In my personal research, Human technology (Einstein) suggests greater than light speeds are unobtainable. There are discussions about riding "Gravitational Waves" but the technology to make this possible is well beyond Human technological capabilities, and by a long shot. Thats why this You-Tube video is so exciting. Should this come to fruition it would be far and away superior to any current method to ascetain what is out there in our immediate vicinity (100 Light years) in space. Especially in the search for sentient life. Forget radio telescopes. This thing puts Radio telescopes in the dark ages. The James Webb and other telescopes recently launched, or about to go on line, are capable of detecting gases in exoplanet atmospheres that (may) suggest life. (Think Methane, Oxygen, etc.) but none of these can remotely replicate the capabilities of the concept in this video. Should our species survive itself the next 50 years, humans will be in for a real treat. Some unreal land based telescopes are about to go online, the ELT among them, a 39 meter + MONSTER that they claim will surpass the James Webb in several areas, including the optical mode. Enhanced James Webb Space versions are also on the boards. Some with much larger light gathering platforms than Webb. Nothing however compares to whats in this video. Nothing. Your talking comparing "sailboat technology" to Nuclear propulsion. A quantum leap.
Unless.entanglement can instantaneously take us X light years into the cosmos, we'll never know, and even then we won't.
Gator, that video was so technical as to be way above my ability to understand it. I'm 80, so I'll probably miss the breakthrough just as prehistoric man missed space flight. Every generation will miss something. I fear this discussion will be moot as Homo sapiens are slowly destroying OUR planet. It's probably true on other planets because we don't know where everybody is, and what your video suggests may end up with us finding barren planets. I'm a pessimist in the larger sense.
Hey I appreciate you checking it out. Yes, technically speaking, much of the content was over my pay grade, but it is an interesting concept. As far as actually seeing results, you and I are in the same boat, but the younger posters here, say under 50, just may be privaleged enough to see extraordinary things. However, your point is well taken regarding humanity. Telescopes, sadly, may be a low priority, even for the Western Societies, in 30 years.
