Science for Brunch with Emma Louden

Return to Home, Return to Hope - Defining the Third Phase of Space Exploration

A common criticism of space exploration is “why should we use precious resources to go to space?”. What is the value of studying distant stars or sending humans into space when facing the current, persistent, and catastrophic crises of climate change, racial inequity, and global instability down here on earth? In this talk I will share my vision as an astrophysicist and space entrepreneur for how to respond to that criticism. I will empower the audience with a new understanding of how we can bring humanity home by exploring the dark sky.

We know old ways of thinking won’t solve current crises. To design a new world, to fight climate change, and to build a society where everyone is respected, we need to act differently. To act differently, we need to prime ourselves to think differently. Space exploration is a vehicle to help humanity do just that—it forces us to think about how our precious planet fits into the dark sky.

We are on the brink of a new era of exploration that is markedly different than the Apollo or Shuttle eras. In this third phase of space exploration, the relationship between humanity and the stars is defined by the dark sky as a source of practical hope. Space exploration primes us to think differently about technology, art, society and infrastructure. These new ways of thinking spark creativity and empathy; they spread practical hope. This practical hope makes space exploration not only worthwhile, but essential to address urgent crises.

 

*Buffet brunch included in ticket price.*