NASA landed its most advanced Rover, the Curiosity, on Mars last night. It’s one of the most significant scientific achievements in the last decade. However, some feel that it’s not getting the attention it deserves. The economy blows, the Olympics are happening, and Kristen Stewart cheated on Robert Pattinson — people are distracted! There are some that feel that the U.S. government is right to cut NASA’s funding given the economic climate. Others feel that advancing science creates jobs, creates enthusiasm, and stimulates intellectual pursuits.
Above is NASA’s video of the Curiosity and below is a clip of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s from Real Time With Bill Maher discussing why spending money on science is important to America’s future. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the Mars landing and how important scientific endeavors (like NASA’s) are or are not.
This sort of stuff is good for the soul. When we’re not exploring and looking for what’s new out there, we tend to stagnate as a society.