We have to learn to become a new kind of entity on this world that has the maturity and the awareness to handle being a global species with the power to change our planet and use that power in a way that is conducive to the kind of global society we want to have.

David Grinspoon

The planet Mars -- crimson and bright, filling our telescopes with vague intimations of almost-familiar landforms -- has long formed a celestial tabula rasa on which we have inscribed our planeto-logical theories, utopian fantasies, and fears of alien invasion or ecological ruin.

David Grinspoon

mars invasion long

Before we go there and set up greenhouses, dance clubs, and falafel stands, let's make sure that, in some subtle form that could be harmed by the human hubbub, life does not already exist there. If not, then by all means build cities, plant forests and fill lakes and streams with trout -- bring life to Mars and Mars to life. We'll then be the Martians we've been dreaming about for all these years.

David Grinspoon

lakes dream mean

As long as we are a single-planet species, we are vulnerable to extinction by a planetwide catastrophe, natural or self-induced. Once we become a multiplanet species, our chances to live long and prosper will take a huge leap skyward.

David Grinspoon

moon self long

Our most valuable resources - creativity, communication, invention, and reinvention - are, in fact, unlimited.

David Grinspoon

invention creativity communication

When I first went to college, I went into physics, and my goal was to help perfect nuclear fusion so I could solve the energy crisis and global warming. I probably would have done it, too, if I'd stuck to it.

David Grinspoon

global-warming energy college perfect

The story of our species is one of overcoming existential risk through new forms of cooperation and innovation.

David Grinspoon

new story innovation overcoming

Time and time again, our species has escaped existential threats by reinventing ourselves, finding new skills not coded in our genes to survive new challenges not previously encountered.

David Grinspoon

survive new challenges time

I think a lot of people interested in space exploration tend to hear stories about the great missions, how they work technically, what we learned. But they don't really hear the story of what it takes to get a mission from scratch to the launch pad and into space.

David Grinspoon

great space work people

Astrobiology is the science of life in the universe. It's an attempt to scientifically deal with the question of whether or not we're alone in the universe, looking at the past of life, the present of life, and the future of life. It's an interdisciplinary study incorporating astronomy, biology, and the Earth sciences.

David Grinspoon

alone future life science

The hallmark of the human species is great adaptability.

David Grinspoon

human great hallmark species

Radiation is one of the important factors in evolution. It causes mutation, and some level of mutation is actually good for evolution.

David Grinspoon

some good evolution important

We need to have a vision of the world we want to create so that we can see ourselves as collaborators with future generations in the project of shaping it.

David Grinspoon

see future vision world

Titan has rivers and lakes of liquid methane and ethane, methane weather systems of clouds and storms that mirror Earth's hydrologic cycle, and seasonal cycles that rival Earth's in complexity.

David Grinspoon

mirror earth clouds weather

Even cynical, selfish people will realize, one way or the other, that it's not in their self-interest to act in self-destructive ways.

David Grinspoon

realize selfish people way

Whenever I see a nighttime picture of Earth from space, with its glowing lights, I am stirred by its beauty.

David Grinspoon

picture i-am space beauty

Venus and Mars are our next of kin: they are the two most Earth-like planets that we know about. They're the only two other very Earth-like planets in our solar system, meaning they orbit close to the sun; they have rocky surfaces and thin atmospheres.

David Grinspoon

meaning know next sun

What I'm interested in is the conversations going on about the Anthropocene and what it means to view ourselves as a part of Earth's geological history.

David Grinspoon

going view earth history

Seriously, we should start taxing churches and have tax-exempt places for worship and study of nature and art. Charge ten bucks for Sunday services and make the Botanic Gardens free.

David Grinspoon

start sunday nature art

We don't know that Venus had oceans, but there's every reason to believe it did.

David Grinspoon

oceans know reason believe

I'm a strong advocate of new missions to Venus.

David Grinspoon

advocate new venus strong