¡¶pale blue dot -carl sagan¡·

ÏÂÔر¾Êé

Ìí¼ÓÊéÇ©

pale blue dot -carl sagan- µÚ3½Ú


°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·­Ò³£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡

Having¡¡in¡¡all¡¡their¡¡lives¡¡till¡¡then¡¡crossed¡¡nothing¡¡wider¡¡than¡¡a¡¡layer£»¡¡Leib¡¡and¡¡Chaiya¡¡graduated¡¡to¡¡crossing¡¡oceans¡£¡¡They¡¡had¡¡one¡¡great¡¡advantage£º¡¡On¡¡the¡¡other¡¡side¡¡of¡¡the¡¡waters¡¡there¡¡would¡¡be¡­invested¡¡with¡¡outlandish¡¡customs£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡true¡ªother¡¡human¡¡beings¡¡speaking¡¡their¡¡language¡¡and¡¡sharing¡¡at¡¡least¡¡some¡¡of¡¡their¡¡values£»¡¡even¡¡people¡¡to¡¡whom¡¡they¡¡were¡¡closely¡¡related¡£

In¡¡our¡¡time¡¡we've¡¡crossed¡¡the¡¡Solar¡¡System¡¡and¡¡sent¡¡four¡¡ships¡¡to¡¡the¡¡stars¡£¡¡Neptune¡¡lies¡¡a¡¡million¡¡times¡¡farther¡¡from¡¡Earth¡¡than¡¡New¡¡York¡¡City¡¡is¡¡from¡¡the¡¡banks¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Bug¡£¡¡But¡¡there¡¡are¡¡no¡¡distant¡¡relatives£»¡¡no¡¡humans£»¡¡and¡¡apparently¡¡no¡¡life¡¡waiting¡¡for¡¡us¡¡on¡¡those¡¡other¡¡worlds¡£¡¡No¡¡letters¡¡conveyed¡¡by¡¡recent¡¡¨¦migr¨¦s¡¡help¡¡us¡¡to¡¡understand¡¡the¡¡new¡¡land¡ª¡¡only¡¡digital¡¡data¡¡transmitted¡¡at¡¡the¡¡speed¡¡of¡¡light¡¡by¡¡unfeeling£»¡¡precise¡¡robot¡¡emissaries¡£¡¡They¡¡tell¡¡us¡¡that¡¡these¡¡new¡¡worlds¡¡are¡¡not¡¡much¡¡like¡¡home¡£¡¡But¡¡we¡¡continue¡¡to¡¡search¡¡for¡¡inhabitants¡£¡¡We¡¡can't¡¡help¡¡it¡£¡¡Life¡¡looks¡¡for¡¡life¡£

No¡¡one¡¡on¡¡Earth£»¡¡not¡¡the¡¡richest¡¡among¡¡us£»¡¡can¡¡afford¡¡the¡¡passage£»¡¡so¡¡we¡¡can't¡¡pick¡¡up¡¡and¡¡leave¡¡for¡¡Mars¡¡or¡¡Titan¡¡on¡¡a¡¡whim£»¡¡or¡¡because¡¡we're¡¡bored£»¡¡or¡¡out¡¡of¡¡work£»¡¡or¡¡drafted¡¡into¡¡the¡¡army£»¡¡or¡¡oppressed£»¡¡or¡¡because£»¡¡justly¡¡or¡¡unjustly£»¡¡we've¡¡been¡¡accused¡¡of¡¡a¡¡crime¡£¡¡There¡¡does¡¡not¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡be¡¡sufficient¡¡short¡­term¡¡profit¡¡to¡¡motivate¡¡private¡¡industry¡£¡¡If¡¡we¡¡humans¡¡ever¡¡go¡¡to¡¡these¡¡worlds£»¡¡then£»¡¡it¡¡will¡¡be¡¡because¡¡a¡¡nation¡¡or¡¡a¡¡consortium¡¡of¡¡them¡¡believes¡¡it¡¡to¡¡be¡¡to¡¡its¡¡advantage¡ªor¡¡to¡¡the¡¡advantage¡¡of¡¡the¡¡human¡¡species¡£¡¡Just¡¡now£»¡¡there¡¡are¡¡a¡¡great¡¡many¡¡matters¡¡pressing¡¡in¡¡on¡¡us¡¡that¡¡pete¡¡for¡¡the¡¡money¡¡it¡¡takes¡¡to¡¡send¡¡people¡¡to¡¡other¡¡worlds¡£

That's¡¡what¡¡this¡¡book¡¡is¡¡about£º¡¡other¡¡worlds£»¡¡what¡¡awaits¡¡us¡¡on¡¡them£»¡¡what¡¡they¡¡tell¡¡us¡¡about¡¡ourselves£»¡¡and¡ªgiven¡¡the¡¡urgent¡¡problems¡¡our¡¡species¡¡now¡¡faces¡ªwhether¡¡it¡¡makes¡¡sense¡¡to¡¡go¡£¡¡Should¡¡we¡¡solve¡¡those¡¡problems¡¡first£¿¡¡Or¡¡are¡¡they¡¡a¡¡reason¡¡for¡¡going£¿

This¡¡book¡¡is£»¡¡in¡¡many¡¡ways£»¡¡optimistic¡¡about¡¡the¡¡human¡¡prospect¡£¡¡The¡¡earliest¡¡chapters¡¡may¡¡at¡¡first¡¡sight¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡revel¡¡overmuch¡¡in¡¡our¡¡imperfections¡£¡¡But¡¡they¡¡lay¡¡an¡¡essential¡¡spiritual¡¡and¡¡logical¡¡foundation¡¡for¡¡the¡¡development¡¡of¡¡my¡¡argument¡£

I¡¡have¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡present¡¡more¡¡than¡¡one¡¡facet¡¡of¡¡an¡¡issue¡£¡¡There¡¡will¡¡be¡¡places¡¡where¡¡I¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡be¡¡arguing¡¡with¡¡myself¡£¡¡I¡¡am¡£¡¡Seeing¡¡some¡¡merit¡¡to¡¡more¡¡than¡¡one¡¡side£»¡¡I¡¡often¡¡argue¡¡with¡¡myself¡£¡¡I¡¡hope¡¡by¡¡the¡¡last¡¡chapter¡¡it¡¡will¡¡be¡¡clear¡¡where¡¡I¡¡e¡¡out¡£

The¡¡plan¡¡of¡¡the¡¡book¡¡is¡¡roughly¡¡this£º¡¡We¡¡first¡¡examine¡¡the¡¡widespread¡¡claims¡¡made¡¡over¡¡all¡¡of¡¡human¡¡history¡¡that¡¡our¡¡world¡¡and¡¡our¡¡species¡¡are¡¡unique£»¡¡and¡¡even¡¡central¡¡to¡¡the¡¡workings¡¡and¡¡purpose¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Cosmos¡£¡¡We¡¡venture¡¡through¡¡the¡¡Solar¡¡System¡¡in¡¡the¡¡footsteps¡¡of¡¡the¡¡latest¡¡voyages¡¡of¡¡exploration¡¡and¡¡discovery£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡assess¡¡the¡¡reasons¡¡monly¡¡offered¡¡for¡¡sending¡¡humans¡¡into¡¡space¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡last¡¡and¡¡most¡¡speculative¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the¡¡book£»¡¡I¡¡trace¡¡how¡¡I¡¡imagine¡¡that¡¡our¡¡long¡­term¡¡future¡¡in¡¡space¡¡will¡¡work¡¡itself¡¡out¡£

Pale¡¡Blue¡¡Dot¡¡is¡¡about¡¡a¡¡new¡¡recognition£»¡¡still¡¡slowly¡¡overtaking¡¡us£»¡¡of¡¡our¡¡coordinates£»¡¡our¡¡place¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Universe¡¡and¡¡how£»¡¡even¡¡if¡¡the¡¡call¡¡of¡¡the¡¡open¡¡road¡¡is¡¡muted¡¡in¡¡our¡¡time£»¡¡a¡¡central¡¡element¡¡of¡¡the¡¡human¡¡future¡¡lies¡¡far¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡Earth¡£




CHAPTER¡¡1¡¡¡¡¡¡YOU¡¡ARE¡¡HERE

¡¡

¡¡

The¡¡entire¡¡Earth¡¡is¡¡but¡¡a¡¡point£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡place¡¡of¡¡our¡¡own¡¡habitation¡¡but¡¡a¡¡minute¡¡corner¡¡of¡¡it¡£

¡ªMARCUS¡¡AURELIUS£»¡¡ROMAN¡¡EMPEROR£»¡¡MEDITATIONS£»¡¡BOOK¡¡4¡¡£¨CA¡£¡¡170£©

As¡¡the¡¡astronomers¡¡unanimously¡¡teach£»¡¡the¡¡circuit¡¡of¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡earth£»¡¡which¡¡to¡¡us¡¡seems¡¡endless£»¡¡pared¡¡with¡¡the¡¡greatness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡universe¡¡has¡¡the¡¡likeness¡¡of¡¡a¡¡mere¡¡tiny¡¡point¡£

¡ªAMMIANUS¡¡MARCELLINUS¡¡ACA¡£¡¡330¡­395£»¡¡THE¡¡LAST¡¡MAJOR¡¡ROMAN¡¡HISTORIAN£»¡¡IN¡¡THE¡¡CHRONICLE¡¡OF¡¡EVENTS

The¡¡spacecraft¡¡was¡¡a¡¡long¡¡way¡¡from¡¡home£»¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡orbit¡¡of¡¡the¡¡outermost¡¡planet¡¡and¡¡high¡¡above¡¡the¡¡ecliptic¡¡plane¡ªwhich¡¡is¡¡an¡¡imaginary¡¡flat¡¡surface¡¡that¡¡we¡¡can¡¡think¡¡of¡¡as¡¡something¡¡like¡¡a¡¡racetrack¡¡in¡¡which¡¡the¡¡orbits¡¡of¡¡the¡¡planets¡¡are¡¡mainly¡¡confined¡£¡¡The¡¡ship¡¡was¡¡speeding¡¡away¡¡from¡¡the¡¡Sun¡¡at¡¡40£»000¡¡miles¡¡per¡¡hour¡£¡¡But¡¡in¡¡early¡¡February¡¡of¡¡1990£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡overtaken¡¡by¡¡an¡¡urgent¡¡message¡¡from¡¡Earth¡£

Obediently£»¡¡it¡¡turned¡¡its¡¡cameras¡¡back¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡now¡­distant¡¡planets¡£¡¡Slewing¡¡its¡¡scan¡¡platform¡¡from¡¡one¡¡spot¡¡in¡¡the¡¡sky¡¡to¡¡another£»¡¡it¡¡snapped¡¡60¡¡pictures¡¡and¡¡stored¡¡them¡¡in¡¡digital¡¡form¡¡on¡¡its¡¡tape¡¡recorder¡£¡¡Then£»¡¡slowly£»¡¡in¡¡March£»¡¡April£»¡¡and¡¡May£»¡¡it¡¡radioed¡¡the¡¡data¡¡back¡¡to¡¡Earth¡£¡¡Each¡¡image¡¡was¡¡posed¡¡of¡¡640£»000¡¡individual¡¡picture¡¡elements¡¡£¨¡¨pixels¡¨£©£»¡¡like¡¡the¡¡dots¡¡in¡¡a¡¡newspaper¡¡wire¡­photo¡¡or¡¡a¡¡pointillist¡¡painting¡£¡¡The¡¡spacecraft¡¡was¡¡3¡£7¡¡billion¡¡miles¡¡away¡¡from¡¡Earth£»¡¡so¡¡far¡¡away¡¡that¡¡it¡¡took¡¡each¡¡pixel¡¡5£¿¡¡hours£»¡¡traveling¡¡at¡¡the¡¡speed¡¡of¡¡light£»¡¡to¡¡reach¡¡us¡£¡¡The¡¡pictures¡¡might¡¡have¡¡been¡¡returned¡¡earlier£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡big¡¡radio¡¡telescopes¡¡in¡¡California£»¡¡Spain£»¡¡and¡¡Australia¡¡that¡¡receive¡¡these¡¡whispers¡¡from¡¡the¡¡edge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Solar¡¡System¡¡had¡¡responsibilities¡¡to¡¡other¡¡ships¡¡that¡¡ply¡¡the¡¡sea¡¡of¡¡space¡¡among¡¡them£»¡¡Magellan£»¡¡bound¡¡for¡¡Venus£»¡¡and¡¡Galileo¡¡on¡¡its¡¡tortuous¡¡passage¡¡to¡¡Jupiter¡£

Voyager¡¡1¡¡was¡¡so¡¡high¡¡above¡¡the¡¡ecliptic¡¡plane¡¡because£»¡¡in¡¡1981£»¡¡it¡¡had¡¡made¡¡a¡¡close¡¡pass¡¡by¡¡Titan£»¡¡the¡¡giant¡¡moon¡¡of¡¡Saturn¡£¡¡Its¡¡sister¡¡ship£»¡¡Voyager¡¡2£»¡¡was¡¡dispatched¡¡on¡¡a¡¡different¡¡trajectory£»¡¡within¡¡the¡¡ecliptic¡¡plane£»¡¡and¡¡so¡¡she¡¡was¡¡able¡¡to¡¡perform¡¡her¡¡celebrated¡¡explorations¡¡of¡¡Uranus¡¡and¡¡Neptune¡¡The¡¡two¡¡Voyager¡¡robots¡¡have¡¡explored¡¡four¡¡planets¡¡and¡¡nearly¡¡sixty¡¡moons¡£¡¡They¡¡are¡¡triumphs¡¡of¡¡human¡¡engineering¡¡an¡£¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡glories¡¡of¡¡the¡¡American¡¡space¡¡program¡£¡¡They¡¡will¡¡be¡¡in¡¡the¡¡history¡¡books¡¡when¡¡much¡¡else¡¡about¡¡our¡¡time¡¡forgotten¡£

The¡¡Voyagers¡¡were¡¡guaranteed¡¡to¡¡work¡¡only¡¡until¡¡the¡¡Saturn¡¡encounter¡£¡¡I¡¡thought¡¡it¡¡might¡¡be¡¡a¡¡good¡¡idea£»¡¡just¡¡after¡¡Saturn£»¡¡to¡¡have¡¡them¡¡take¡¡one¡¡last¡¡glance¡¡homeward¡£¡¡From¡¡Saturn£»¡¡I¡¡knew¡¡the¡¡Earth¡¡would¡¡appear¡¡too¡¡small¡¡for¡¡Voyager¡¡to¡¡make¡¡out¡¡any¡¡detail¡£¡¡Our¡¡planet¡¡would¡¡be¡¡just¡¡a¡¡point¡¡of¡¡light£»¡¡a¡¡lonely¡¡pixel£»¡¡hardly¡¡distinguishable¡¡from¡¡the¡¡many¡¡other¡¡points¡¡of¡¡light¡¡Voyager¡¡could¡¡see£»¡¡nearby¡¡planets¡¡and¡¡far¡­off¡¡suns¡£¡¡But¡¡precise¡¡because¡¡of¡¡the¡¡obscurity¡¡of¡¡our¡¡world¡¡thus¡¡revealed£»¡¡such¡¡picture¡¡might¡¡be¡¡worth¡¡having¡£

Mariners¡¡had¡¡painstakingly¡¡mapped¡¡the¡¡coastlines¡¡of¡¡the¡¡continents¡£¡¡Geographers¡¡had¡¡translated¡¡these¡¡findings¡¡into¡¡charts¡¡and¡¡globes¡£¡¡Photographs¡¡of¡¡tiny¡¡patches¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Earth¡¡had¡¡been¡¡obtained¡¡first¡¡by¡¡balloons¡¡and¡¡aircraft£»¡¡then¡¡by¡¡rockets¡¡in¡¡brief¡¡ballistic¡¡flight£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡last¡¡by¡¡orbiting¡¡spacecraft¡ªgiving¡¡a¡¡perspective¡¡like¡¡the¡¡one¡¡you¡¡achieve¡¡by¡¡positioning¡¡your¡¡eyeball¡¡about¡¡an¡¡inch¡¡above¡¡a¡¡large¡¡globe¡£¡¡While¡¡almost¡¡everyone¡¡is¡¡taught¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Earth¡¡is¡¡a¡¡sphere¡¡with¡¡all¡¡of¡¡us¡¡somehow¡¡glued¡¡to¡¡it¡¡by¡¡gravity£»¡¡the¡¡reality¡¡of¡¡our¡¡circumstance¡¡did¡¡not¡¡really¡¡begin¡¡to¡¡sink¡¡in¡¡until¡¡the¡¡famous¡¡frame¡­filling¡¡Apollo¡¡photograph¡¡of¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡Earth¡ªthe¡¡one¡¡taken¡¡by¡¡the¡¡Apollo¡¡17¡¡astronauts¡¡on¡¡the¡¡last¡¡journey¡¡of¡¡humans¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Moon¡£

It¡¡has¡¡bee¡¡a¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡icon¡¡of¡¡our¡¡age¡£¡¡There's¡¡Antarctica¡¡at¡¡what¡¡Americans¡¡and¡¡Europeans¡¡so¡¡readily¡¡regard¡¡as¡¡the¡¡bottom£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡all¡¡of¡¡Africa¡¡stretching¡¡up¡¡above¡¡it£º¡¡You¡¡can¡¡see¡¡Ethiopia£»¡¡Tanzania£»¡¡and¡¡Kenya£»¡¡where¡¡the¡¡earliest¡¡humans¡¡lived¡£¡¡At¡¡top¡¡right¡¡are¡¡Saudi¡¡Arabia¡¡and¡¡what¡¡Europeans¡¡call¡¡the¡¡Near¡¡East¡£¡¡Just¡¡barely¡¡peeking¡¡out¡¡at¡¡the¡¡top¡¡is¡¡the¡¡Mediterranean¡¡Sea£»¡¡around¡¡which¡¡so¡¡much¡¡of¡¡our¡¡global¡¡civilization¡¡emerged¡£¡¡You¡¡can¡¡make¡¡out¡¡the¡¡blue¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ocean£»¡¡the¡¡yellow¡­red¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Sahara¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Arabian¡¡desert£»¡¡the¡¡brown¡­green¡¡of¡¡forest¡¡and¡¡grassland¡£

And¡¡yet¡¡there¡¡is¡¡no¡¡sign¡¡of¡¡humans¡¡in¡¡this¡¡picture£»¡¡not¡¡our¡¡reworking¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Earth's¡¡surface£»¡¡not¡¡our¡¡machines£»¡¡not¡¡ourselves£º¡¡We¡¡are¡¡too¡¡small¡¡and¡¡our¡¡statecraft¡¡is¡¡too¡¡feeble¡¡to¡¡be¡¡seen¡¡by¡¡a¡¡spacecraft¡¡between¡¡the¡¡Earth¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Moon¡£¡¡From¡¡this¡¡vantage¡¡point£»¡¡our¡¡obsession¡¡with¡¡nationalism¡¡is¡¡nowhere¡¡in¡¡evidence¡£¡¡The¡¡Apollo¡¡pictures¡¡of¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡Earth¡¡conveyed¡¡to¡¡multitudes¡¡something¡¡well¡¡known¡¡to¡¡astronomers£º¡¡On¡¡the¡¡scale¡¡of¡¡worlds¡ªto¡¡say¡¡nothing¡¡of¡¡stars¡¡or¡¡galaxies¡ªhumans¡¡are¡¡inconsequential£»¡¡a¡¡thin¡¡film¡¡of¡¡life¡¡on¡¡an¡¡obscure¡¡and¡¡solitary¡¡lump¡¡of¡¡rock¡¡and¡¡metal¡£

It¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡me¡¡that¡¡another¡¡picture¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Earth£»¡¡this¡¡one¡¡taken¡¡from¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡thousand¡¡times¡¡farther¡¡away£»¡¡might¡¡help¡¡in¡¡the¡¡continuing¡¡process¡¡of¡¡revealing¡¡to¡¡ourselves¡¡our¡¡true¡¡circumstance¡¡and¡¡condition¡£¡¡It¡¡had¡¡been¡¡well¡¡understood¡¡by¡¡the¡¡scientists¡¡and¡¡philosophers¡¡of¡¡classical¡¡antiquity¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Earth¡¡was¡¡a¡¡mere¡¡point¡¡in¡¡a¡¡vast¡¡enpassing¡¡Cosmos£»¡¡but¡¡no¡¡
СÌáʾ£º°´ »Ø³µ [Enter] ¼ü ·µ»ØÊéÄ¿£¬°´ ¡û ¼ü ·µ»ØÉÏÒ»Ò³£¬ °´ ¡ú ¼ü ½øÈëÏÂÒ»Ò³¡£ ÔÞһϠÌí¼ÓÊéÇ©¼ÓÈëÊé¼Ü