Manhattan Project... But not quite

[Ortix]

I hope that everyone recalls how the United States was desperately trying to build an atomic bomb to crush the germans during WWII. We were cooperating with several nations to achieve our goal.

Now, I have been thinking. Isn't time for another big invention. I mean, we learned how to fly 100 years ago. We've been TRYING to do that for thousands of years. Now I think it's time to go faster than light.

We are just so darn primitive that I'm just ashamed of our race (no offense). We just spend millions and billions in killing each other over meaningless causes.

Can't we just "unite" (at least the smart and powerful countries... again no offense) and pour immense resources in building an FTL drive. This would be such a great benefit! The world would float in money if we can harvest all the raw materials from different planets. It would be "astronomical!"

That's basically my question, why don't we spend MOARH money on science. That's the path EVERY civilization will eventually choose, but sometimes they choose it too late. I don't want to see our race perish without even making it to a type 1. (Go Michio Kaku!)

Thoughts?

 

[MeteorWayne]

What is MOARH money?

 

[Ortix]

MOARH money = more money = 700 billion science stimulus plan

 

[MeteorWayne]

Oh, and BTW, if you are suggesting the goal is FTL travel, you can look for this thread in The Unexplained shortly.

That's not a subject for this forum.

 

[tanstaafl76]

The problem with your idea is we had the science and engineering capability to test the hypotheses involved in the Manhattan project, we do not have the science and engineering capability to test the hypotheses involved with FTL travel, not even close, and it wouldn't matter if we spent $700 billion on it or not.

 

[doom_shepherd]

We'd be better off engaging in a "Manhattan Project" to create a practical fusion power generator. Or just to harness the power of the sunlight that reaches Earth orbit.

Or, how about capturing "lightning in a bottle?" (That is, developing a way to capture and store the energy released in a single lightning strike?)

You probably need to be able to harness those levels of energies to even begin to think about FTL.

 

[SpaceXFanMobius57]

Its foolish to be ashamed of our race, we are a developing civilization and developing civilizations do what they do. We will develop naturally and will go intersteller eventually. (Plus we are not even close to the tech level for a FTL system)

 

[taylorlove]

Agreed. We should not at all be ashamed of our race. It is crazy to me the amount of stuff we have accomplished, and all the new accomplishments and developments we are seeing everyday. We are a rapidly developing society... I dont know what more you could want!







New York Hotels

 

[bdewoody]

And unfortunate as it is, many of what we think of as scientific advancements were made for warfare. The microwave oven we depend on so heavily was developed from microwave radar needed to detect and shoot down enemy aircraft. The high altitude airliners we ride around the world in owe their existance to engines and pressurization systems developed for warplanes. There are many other examples of technologies developed for warfare that end up serving us in peace. To quote a TV show Tactical to Practical.

So if and thats a big if a practical FTL drive is ever developed by mankind it will probably be by scientists working for somebody's military.

I don't necessarily think it's right but throughout human history thats the way things have gotten done.