The Hubble telescope cost about six billion dollars. This is very small compared to the fiasco called the ISS which cost over one hundred billion dollars.
It could truly be said that the Hubble was the greatest step forward for astronomy since the fist astronomical use of the telescope by Galileo. It has greatly advanced our knowledge of just about all areas of astronomy.
The fact is that we have now entered the period where cutting edge science costs lots of money. It does not matter whether the science is in biology (such as the humnan genome project), nuclear physics (as in the LHC) or astronomy, it has become very expensive to find new science.
At least Hubble, the Human Genome project and the LHC will provide new science (or in the case of the LHC we can only hope the Higgs is NOT found for new science to be discovered). Pursuits such as the ISS, moonbases, Mars missions and so on just pander to the elite and politicians.
New science can either be of direct and obvious benefit to society as is obviously the case in biology; or it can provide new technology whose benefits are felt in the future as with robotics and artificial intelligence; or it reveals our true place in the universe and hence dispels pernicious myths as in the case of astronomy.
Ultimately exercises like Hubble lead to developments of new technologies and new concepts that improve the life, culture and understanding of all of us. As long as people can get over their conspiracy theories and myths and accept genuine data, we will all have a solid foundation upon which to base our stewardship of this planet. Hubble has helped to show us that it is the only planet we are ever likely to have.
Cheers!
It could truly be said that the Hubble was the greatest step forward for astronomy since the fist astronomical use of the telescope by Galileo. It has greatly advanced our knowledge of just about all areas of astronomy.
The fact is that we have now entered the period where cutting edge science costs lots of money. It does not matter whether the science is in biology (such as the humnan genome project), nuclear physics (as in the LHC) or astronomy, it has become very expensive to find new science.
At least Hubble, the Human Genome project and the LHC will provide new science (or in the case of the LHC we can only hope the Higgs is NOT found for new science to be discovered). Pursuits such as the ISS, moonbases, Mars missions and so on just pander to the elite and politicians.
New science can either be of direct and obvious benefit to society as is obviously the case in biology; or it can provide new technology whose benefits are felt in the future as with robotics and artificial intelligence; or it reveals our true place in the universe and hence dispels pernicious myths as in the case of astronomy.
Ultimately exercises like Hubble lead to developments of new technologies and new concepts that improve the life, culture and understanding of all of us. As long as people can get over their conspiracy theories and myths and accept genuine data, we will all have a solid foundation upon which to base our stewardship of this planet. Hubble has helped to show us that it is the only planet we are ever likely to have.
Cheers!
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Scientific discovery is part of being human. It's actually a survival mode for our species. It's written into our genes to want to do it.
Without an interest in scientific discovery, we would never have designed shelters or decided to try living in cave entrances, and we would still sleep on open ground in the rain. Was it worth it?
Without an interest in scientific discovery, we would never have designed shelters or decided to try living in cave entrances, and we would still sleep on open ground in the rain. Was it worth it?
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Makes more sense than all the time and effort that people put in to gambling, illicit drugs, make up, smoking, booze, sporting events, fast food, sugary drinks ...
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Of course it is. The Hubble Telescope is an amazing milestone of human technology. It allows us to learn about our existence and how the universe works.
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You should be asking this about the ISS, not the Hubble.