Let's Make Hay While It Lasts.

The Apologists For Space Science Always Seem Over-impressed By Engineering Trivia And Make Far Too Much Of Non-stick Frying Pans And Perfect Ball-bearings. To My Mind, The Outstanding Spin-off From Space Research Is Not New Technology. The Real Bonus Has Been That For The First Time In Human History We Have Had A Chance To Look At The Earth From Space, And The Information Gained From Seeing From The Outside Our Azure-green Planet In All Its Global Beauty Has Given Rise To A Whole New Set Of Questions And Answers.

The Big Threat To The Planet Is People: There Are Too Many, Doing Too Well Economically And Burning Too Much Oil.

The Problem Is We Don't Know What The Climate Is Doing. We Thought We Knew 20 Years Ago. That Led To Some Alarmist Books - Mine Included - Because It Looked Clear-cut, But It Hasn't Happened.

I Have Heard That The Saudi Arabians Are Paying Greenpeace To Campaign Against Nuclear Power. It Wouldn't Surprise Me At All.

There Is No Clear Distinction Anywhere On The Earth's Surface Between Living And Nonliving Matter. There Is Merely A Hierarchy Of Intensity Going From The 'material' Environment Of The Rocks And The Atmosphere To The Living Cells.