Thursday, 17 October 2024

“All These Worlds Are Yours Save Europa…”

"...attempt no landing there."
Nasa is poised to send a spacecraft to a frosty moon of Jupiter where extraterrestrial life may eke out an existence in an enormous ocean hidden beneath its ice-covered surface. The Europa Clipper mission is due to blast off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12.06pm local time on Monday after the original plan to launch on Thursday was scrapped due to the battering winds brought by Hurricane Milton.
“It’s a chance for us to explore not a world that might have been habitable billions of years ago but a world that might be habitable today, right now,” said Curt Niebur, a programme scientist on the mission.

I think it's time I fired up the DVD player and watched a certain sci-fi film again... 

6 comments:

Bucko said...

I've never watched it, because I've never been able to stay awake through the first one. Is it actually any good?

Anonymous said...

So, some numpties are spending shed loads of money to find out of some fish are hiding in the oceans of a planet we will never travel to. Why?
What will they do if they find some? "We are not alone in the universe." they will say. Of course we're not. There are non human creatures on this planet but we can't communicate with them, so what chance would we have with Europans, if there are any, unless they may have a few Taylor Swift tickets to keep our political masters onside?
Sort out out own planet first, before going off and destroying someone elses.
Penseivat

Stonyground said...

For once I entirely disagree with Penseivat. There is an awful lot of things wrong with the human race, but our genius and our boundless curiosity isn't among them. Being surrounded by examples of mindless stupidity, at least there are some out there with exceptional levels of intelligence and ingenuity, this gives me some hope for the future.
Stonyground.

Macheath said...


Both have their merits but, if one had to choose, I’d recommend the book over the film; there's a lot more depth to it and it’s very well written.

Doonhamer said...

Which ScFi fillum? This one?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7JDaOOw0MEE

JuliaM said...

"Is it actually any good?"

I preferred it to the first one, and you don't have to have seen it, it does stand alone.

"So, some numpties are spending shed loads of money to find out of some fish are hiding in the oceans of a planet we will never travel to. Why?"

Because human nature. At least we've not lost curiousity along with so much else.

"...this gives me some hope for the future."

Me too! Rather liked Prof Cox's latest 'Solar System' series on the iPlay too.

"I’d recommend the book over the film; there's a lot more depth to it and it’s very well written."

I read the book a very long time ago now...must be due a re-read!

"Which ScFi fillum? This one?"

It has vastly better effects!