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Well you know what they say, foo around and find out.

Carl Sagan comes to mind:

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors, so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.

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Carl Sagan can go breathe vacuum if he really thinks those generals and emperors spilled all that blood for nothing. That fraction of a dot is a very special part of the universe: it is so far the only known planet that is able to support human life. Meaningless on the grand cosmic arena (if such a notion even makes sense), but invaluable for humans.

Maybe its the only known planet because we dont know many other planets though. The universe is a largely unknown quantity and aside from the Asians space isnt interesting to most people anymore.

That would still leave us with the problem of reaching them. We know now that the solar system is right out.

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