7 Shocking Reasons Why NASA Is Excited About Discovering Earth 2.0

NASA is revelling in its new finding: an earth-like planet, called the Kepler 452b, in a 'habitable zone' given its range to a sun-like star, called a G-2, where the right temperatures exist for there to be water in its liquid form. There is no verification yet of whether it has oceans and continents. What makes NASA and many in the scientific world so excited is the possibility of Kepler 452b being "Earth 2.0."

In the wake of all this excitement, as people who must read the times and be aware of risk, why would there be such interest in an Earth 2.0? The following are a list of possible reasons:

1. A haven for the Extremely wealthy: a ticket to Mars via Elon Musk's side-project, SpaceX, costs $500,000.00--the price of a mid-sized home in Ontario. How much do you think it would cost to fly to Kepler 452b that's 1400 light years away? And what would the cost be to inhabit such a place? An Earth 2.0 suggests the first one failed or grew obsolete, thus the value of a new one. The question remains in whose interests and for what reasons?

2. Environmental Disaster: many are concerned about the Earth's population outgrowing its resources. If this happens, the extreme wealthy will be unable to maintain their ultra-posh lifestyles, and thus will have to begin over somewhere else. This leads into our next reason.

3. War and Anarchy: Where there are food and other resource shortages, there are, historically speaking, civil war, anarchy, and even genocide. So if Earth 1.0 slips into this scenario, then those who are in the upper echelons will have another planet to flee to for their lives and safety. 

4. Nuclear War: Political pressures are mounting, from Russia along the Ukrainian border, to nuclear deals with Iran, hostility between US and Israel, and unflagging conflict with ISIS. A nuclear attack from any of these countries and political groups could come at any time. If this happens, there will need to be a safe haven for political, and other, leaders to go. With technology what it is, it wouldn't be impossible to launch attacks from another location in space. 

5. Artilect War: this is a scenario put forth by brain scientist Hugo de Garis in which the Artificial Intelligence we are creating evolves far beyond our physical and intellectual capabilities thus giving rise to a take-over scenario. Like humans can easily capture animals, these super-advanced AI would just as easily capture us. However, human technology will evolve also, giving us the ability to put up a fight. Nevertheless, many people will be fleeing the planet.

6. Conflict with hostile alien life forms: Stephen Hawking and SETI are putting millions of dollars in efforts to locate alien life forms--extra-terrestrial beings. But what if that contact is hostile? What if relations curdle and these powerful beings take over Earth? May seem absurd; but with such smart people working on it and putting big money in research, it suddenly becomes very plausible. 

7. Because we can: The first mission to the Moon was the tipping point for human beings as those belonging to Earth. We at that point realized that the galaxies could also be our home; that we did not have to remain on terra firma. Ever since, our quest and desire for space exploration has remained unquenched. We seek Kepler 452b, and the 1030, and counting, on the list because we can--simple as that.