Astronomer, specialising in the astrophysics of galaxies -the determination of distances to galaxies and the subsequent modelling of the 3-dimensional structure of the universe
I bring a perspective as an astronomer of the vastness of space and time. Our civilization that we give such importance is ephemeral.
Everything is always changing. In 100 thousand years the descendants of our species, if we do not extinguish ourselves, will be as different as our ancestors of 100 thousand years ago. Global warming is a millennial problem, not a decadal problem.
Some suggest that we have received extraterrestrial visitors. It is not an absurd idea, but astronomers have so far been frustrated in locating them. We are certainly looking.
Maybe, again and again, civilizations destroy themselves once they have the capability. For 70 years on a planet with thousands of nuclear weapons we have been lucky. For how many thousands of years will our luck hold?
