there really is only one way to know for sure, and that's to put the theory into practice and observe.

Absolutely there is life out there, the universe is abundant with energy, the single most fundamental thing needed for anything to exist. to say there isn't life out there to me is like saying out of all the volumes in the washington library only one book has the letters d,n and a on the same page.

I am disappointed that we're not having a weeks holiday on on mars or a day trip to saturn, however the clarity and detail obtained from the hubble images, as compared to the pictures in my old astronomy books are just amazing. These new pictures can serve as a great inspiration to the next generation of engineers and astrophysicists.

Another thing, we really need to sort out the state of affairs here on earth before we venture among the stars and leave our garbage strewn across the galaxy, or worse make war with our cousins in the universe.

All I'm saying is the scientific and religious way of thinking is outdated and flawed, for example the pre Copernicus scientists could explain rationally why everything in the universe revolved around the earth and were regarded by their peers as sane. There are things in this universe that neither science or religion can account for. Yet we struggle to accept these things because it doesn't fit into our way of thinking, and if you speak of them you're regarded as a crackpot.

change it to what?

As the subject says

Science and religion both opperate on the same principal, that is faith. The religious person has faith that their god will bring the sun up in the morning, the scientist has faith that with the physical laws applied the sun will come up in the morning. The religious person prays, the scientist measures both are ritualistic, both are looking for answers. The religious person has faith the prayer will be answered, the scientist has faith the instrument is working correctly.

Whatever happens on december 21st 2012 it will be of our own doing, when the sun rises on that day we as a people have it within us to make it the first day of a new era. We've lived with the age of fear for too long, this will be a real chance to go forward technologically, spiritually and philosophically, a chance to put the old ways behind us.

Just thought I'd say hi, see if I get a reply