WIRED: Clark Wants to Go Faster Than Light

[LuminousX]

"I still believe in e=mc², but I can't believe that in all of human history, we'll never ever be able to go beyond the speed of light to reach where we want to go," said Clark. "I happen to believe that mankind can do it."

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,60629,00.html

I'm a science and NASA geek so talk like this excites me. Ignoring the fact that e=mc² is a physical law and asking to circumvent it is pretty silly, I like the fact that someone is talking about science in a visionary sort of way.

"It's my only faith-based initiative."

It may take faith to violate the laws of physics but it takes steely nerves to promote hardcore scientific research when there seems to be a backlash against such things. Bush is clearly not intellectually curious and sees technology only in terms of consumer products instead of adancement of humanity and society.

"Some goals may take a lifetime to reach," he said. "We need to set those goals now. We need to re-dedicate ourselves to science, engineering and technology in this country."

I would like to hear each of the top-tier candidates make such a commitment. Dean is my favored candidate but I don't think he is very visionary when it comes to planning for the future. That's okay, because we have enough short term immediate problems because of Bush that we need to focus on them.

If we don't have our eyes on the horizon, we may be unprepared for what is coming. Dean style pragmatism is great for today, but who knows about tomorrow. Investment in science, engineering, and technology will help drive the economic booms of the future.

[Democrats unite]

1. I'm still eating Clark Bars.

eom

[DemCam]

31. I'm on my way to get

some of those bars. I want more...and bigger bites. Love the "visionaire" thing.

[Wickerman]

2. "It's my only faith-based initiative."

The man does have away with words, love him or hate him.

[Ilsa]

3. I love that line!

I really appreciate his visionary attitude. Shrub doesn't understand enough about life sciences to think of these things.

[Maple]

4. Well he's talking about

'warp drive'...something scientists have finally said may be possible, after they got over their initial traditional scoffing.

One thing I know for sure....as long as you keep insisting a thing is impossible, it will remain so for you.

Far better to assume there may be a way around it, than to just insist there isn't one. That's how progress is made.

[Memekiller]

17. The man has a brain...

I'm impressed he argues with physicists about this stuff. And as a former astronomy/physics major, I can tell you almost any non-physicist has a problem accepting this idea since it's so counterintuitive.

I wonder how many times W has pondered these sorts of questions? Hmmm... my own suspicion is that there isn't a whole lot of activity up there that keeps him from sleeping nights.

[dfong63]

5. it's a boondoggle

"I still believe in e=mc², but I can't believe that in all of human history, we'll never ever be able to go beyond the speed of light to reach where we want to go," said Clark. "I happen to believe that mankind can do it."

how about investing in some practical science, like cures for "orphaned" diseases, pollution cleanup technology, solar and wind energy, technology to combat global warming, cancer and aids research, fisheries conservation, etc; instead of pie in the sky?

Eisenhower (the guy Clark supporters like to invoke) said that every warship built, every rocket fired, constituted a THEFT from those who are hungry and not fed... the same could be said about lame "research" like this, that even if possible, would mainly be used for MILITARY applications anyway.

[LuminousX]

8. I agree to a certain extent

When you see how we are better able to take care of people because of hard science research, I have to say that it isn't theft, it is an investment.

[Maple]

9. Fine...you stay on earth

The Martians will speak Chinese.

Cuz if you don't go...others will.

PS...and if it hadn't been for space and satellites and moon shots...we would have no idea about the extent of pollution, global warming, the idea of a borderless world, or most of the new medical advances.

[dfong63]

15. i'd love to stay here -

... earth is an absolute paradise compared to any known planet. what makes you think you can make a better planet out of mars, when earth is already far more hospitable to begin with? everything we need is here. if only we could keep military-industrial hacks like Clark from screwing up the planet with depleted uranium and other destructive technologies.

[RandomUser]

18. You do realize Earth will end, right?

Eventually the sun will go nova. I'd like for us to be far away from the solar system, something about preserving sentient life, etc.

[MrBadExample]

19. Actually...

Eventually the sun will go nova.

...it won't. It's not big enough. You don't start getting the really interesting stuff until you get to the stars that mass eight or more times what the sun does. The generally accepted fate of the sun is to expand into a red giant, then gradually contract down into a white dwarf and (very much later) go out completely.

Of course, considering the fact that Earth will probably be engulfed by the sun when it expands, it's six of one and a half-dozen of the other as far as life goes. :)

[RandomUser]

20. Yep

Thanks for the correction. But I'm pretty sure we don't want to be on Earth when it happens :)

Let's get off this planet ASAP.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

25. "We'll make a new sun -- or die trying"

Don't we have something like 10 million years left in the sun's predicted lifespan? Surely there are more pressing problems. lol But I actually like the idea of dreaming big in science and technology.

John Kerry at the Kennedy Library on February 9, 2003

We meet in a place that testifies both to the soaring aspirations of America - and the capacity of events to break our hearts and our hope.

We saw that again a week ago in the fiery tragedy of the Space Shuttle Columbia falling from the sky - the new ocean we explore that President Kennedy launched us on more than forty years before. No one can doubt that we will return. Even as we mourn and even now as we investigate and debate, we have reaffirmed our resolve.
<snip>
We know if we invest in new technologies we can build cars and SUVs that are twice and three times as efficient as today - and one day a car that relies on no oil at all. And a company that may help build that car can be found right there in Cambridge; it's called Nuvera Fuel Cells and it's putting fuel cell components in prototype cars today. We know if we support promising research, we can get cleaner coal, renewable sources of energy like wind and solar energy, light our homes and businesses with fuel cells, and run power plants that don't turn the jet stream into a river of pollution. And today the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 103 is taking the lead by training technicians in the maintenance and installation of solar.

Minnesota now requires that a percentage of its electricity be generated from the wind, and family farmers have gone into the power business. In Woodstock, Minnesota, Richard and Roger Kas have built 17 wind turbines on their land, creating enough electricity to power more than 2,000 homes. Other farmers are literally growing renewable fuels in their fields which will bring warmth and light to our homes.

For Americans who work in engineering, design, and industry, the growth of wind, solar and geothermal can spark an unprecedented surge in production. And since developing new energy technologies is a research-driven, pathbreaking activity, a commitment to it will yield thousands and ultimately hundreds of thousands of well-paying new jobs. The machines of renewable energy will be made of steel, aluminum and glass. They will be machined, manufactured, distributed and maintained. And in that historic effort, I do not want and we cannot afford to see this country take a backseat to the Germans or the Japanese. This new direction for America can create new jobs for Americans, and it's up to us to make our economy second to none on this technological frontier.

Building more efficient cars and SUVs will not only save millions of barrels of oil a day; in the end, it will create or sustain millions jobs. So will building high-speed rail and 21st century transit.

The possibilities are limitless. But it will take a commitment as broad and bold as sending a man to the moon.
http://www.johnkerry.com/news/speeches/spc_2003_0209.html

[clar]

30. You can't really believe

that our species will still be around for this event. All indications are that we will be gone before another blink of the geological eye.

[WhereIsMyFreedom]

11. Vision, he's talking about vision

and I completely agree with our need for more vision in this country. I would love to see our country spending more money on research, but spend it through NSF, not DARPA.

Besides, if you wanted to feed all of the hungry people in the world, our excess military budget has plenty.

[sandnsea]

23. Pie in the sky...

is what will solve the problems you mention as well. And Clark has talked about many of them and actually is involved with a company developing wave energy. Having a President who will actively promote science as the solution to problems is just what we need right now, whether it be Clark of Kerry. I'm tired of this current attitude that all any kid needs to learn in school is how to balance their checkbook and reach an 8th grade reading level. We've got to start reaching for the stars again.

[Monte Carlo]

6. I think being trapped on Earth forever would be a cruel joke.

I'm not very religious, but I do think there is a God, higher being/entity, whatever, and it seems to me that if the laws of physics truly prohibited faster-than-lightspeed travel and we humans were trapped on this lone planet, it would be a rather cruel joke of our existence. I refuse to believe Earth is a massive Petri dish.

If the history of science has taught me anything (and it hasn't...), it is that the established theories aren't wrong, just incomplete. They once said that c, the speed of light, is constant for all space and time. Now, recent observations from the Hubble says that c has actually changed since the Big Bang. A good scientist is always willing to admit an honest mistake.

[wyldwolf]

7. I recall an article in Popular Science about 3-4 years ago....

...detailing a "rogue" group of scientists at NASA who would meet after hours over pizza and beer and discuss faster than light travel.

Eventually, their "hobby" became so complex and plausible that they were assigned by NASA to work on if full time.

Anyone else recall this story?

[Maple]

10. Yessiree

Warp drive

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=warp+drive+possible

[Octafish]

12. Clark said he wanted to be an astronaut...

... but gave up on the idea when NASA was getting de-funded by Nixon and the rest of the Kennedy-haters.

As noted above on this thread, much of the research that went into the space program benefitted us on earth. Imagine where we be f we had continued to develop the space program? Perhaps war, itself, would be forgotten. With space the new frontier (as JFK said), we would be able to find the room, materials and MISSION that would make fighting obsolete and cooperation the way of the world.

BTW: I, too, am a frustrated astronaut.

[dfong63]

16. imagine, how much more could have been accomplished

... if the goal of the program had been something useful, instead.

[stickdog]

13. He'll need this to crack this nut soon

if he wants to catch up with Dean.

[Speck Tater]

14. Clark will HAVE TO go faster than light...

... to catch up with Dean.

Einstein says it ain't gonna happen.

[alexwcovington]

28. Einstein's dead, remember?

He was pretty PO'ed with quantum physics, too.

[GOPBasher]

21. As a physics major,

I must say this is a "silly" notion, to quote the other poster who used the same word. However, it's cool that he's talking about stuff like that.

[fujiyama]

22. shows how different he is...

from bush... i remember clinton once discussing science on the discovery channel (it was about nasa and space related stuff)... and while he may not have been a scientist or a person that had a lot of formal knowledge in the various subjects, he seemed genuinely interested. he could atleast understand what was going on and discuss it. he was able to discuss the various applications, etc...

im glad clark has a similar general knowledge and interest...

then again compared to this administration (the most anti science admin in history -- except when it comes to military uses), any of the 10 running have a better knowledge of science and technology.

[GOPBasher]

29. Very true

I like to refer to republicans as the "anti-science" party.

[carpetbagger]

24. But it's much cooler than Al Gore's screen saver.

He wanted to launch a satellite into LaGrange orbit to provide a continuous feed of the earth.

[alexwcovington]

27. They thought Tsiolkovsky and Goddard were nuts, too

All the greatest discoveries of science have been made with the "experts" laughing in their faces.

Remember Galileo? Huygens?

And the way physics is going now, they seriously need a breakthrough. I can't stand to look at some of the shit some guys are putting out, inbreeding theory after theory with a fixed speed of light despite evidence to the contrary...

[alexwcovington]

26. Finally!

A goal with some loft and payoff again.

When all the Mars landers drop down next year, space interest will be at an all time high. This idea, as part of a broader vision to expand our space program, is terrific.

[DrFunkenstein]

32. I've Never Been Much On Space Travel

I've always been more fascinated by the endless wonders our own Paradise has provided. I love the Earth - love it deeply. I will never tire of the delicate clockwork of our Nature.

Just think about the sea. The Sea!

We should maintain the frontiers we have here before we presume to despoil others.