We are trapped in the solar system.
For the next 300-500 years, yes. But there is plenty of things to do, stuff to build and room to expand within a light-day from Sun.
Voyager 1 is a light-day away by November 2026
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Re: Voyager 1 is a light-day away by November 2026
#32That's when it collides with the skybox, like the sailboat at the end of The Truman Show.
Or like Apollo 8 in the incredibly funny book Unsong.
Unsong is extremely amusing to me for some reason. Something about how Scott comes up with reasonably sounding similarities and manages to make those relate to an overall story.
Re: Voyager 1 is a light-day away by November 2026
#33We are trapped in the solar system.
until next "General Relativity" is discovered, and maybe we can get both voyagers back.
Re: Voyager 1 is a light-day away by November 2026
#34Humanity’s greatest journey so far has only reached the closest world to us: the Moon ... in a universe that stretches endlessly in every direction and is seemingly infinite.
It's kind of wild to think about: we might end up collapsing our own civilization before we ever make it beyond our solar system.
At this point, I suspect the next real explorers won't be us, but probes carrying intelligent machines..our robotic descendants venturing where we can’t.
Re: Voyager 1 is a light-day away by November 2026
#35We are trapped in the solar system.
I mean we have a way today to get to a fraction of light speed with the nuclear bombs for propulsion method. Technically it’s even survivable for a person.
Re: Voyager 1 is a light-day away by November 2026
#36We are trapped in the solar system.
Of course we are, but my question is why is that notable?
You also breathe a nitrogen-oxygen-hydrogen mixture, and have a body that is built to walk around at 1g on a planet between 0-100 degrees F.
That doesn’t seem to bother people.
Re: Voyager 1 is a light-day away by November 2026
#37We are trapped in the solar system.
Of course we are, but my question is why is that notable? You also breathe a nitrogen-oxygen-hydrogen mixture, and have a body that is built to walk around at 1g on a planet between 0-100 degrees F. That doesn’t seem to bother people.
> Of course we are, but my question is why is that notable?
> You also breathe a nitrogen-oxygen-hydrogen mixture, and have a body that is built to walk around at 1g on a planet between 0-100 degrees F.
> That doesn’t seem to bother people.
Humans like to explore. We've populated the globe from our starting position in East Africa.
When we look to the skies, beyond our own galaxy, and into the early history of the universe, we are seeing a world that will never get to explore first-hand. Humans like to explore.
Re: Voyager 1 is a light-day away by November 2026
#38Re: Voyager 1 is a light-day away by November 2026
#39We are trapped in the solar system.
Sandboxed. Yep.