I think the situation with interstellar travel is well summed up in this conversation between TARS and Cooper as they attempt to dock at Endurance (intentional pun hiding in movie title):
TARS: It's not possible.
Cooper: No, it's necessary.
It seems impossible, but if we don't pull it off we die. And I don't mean we the few folks on HN. I mean everyone.
Earth is a graveyard of species. Nearly all (99% IIRC) species that ever existed have gone extinct (most before we showed up). As a species, we can't stay here and live. A 9-mile thin layer of gas over a single small planet is just not a reliable long-term basis of survival. In fact, the fragility of our tiny little habitant is on display right in front of us this century.
TARS: It's not possible.
Cooper: No, it's necessary.
It seems impossible, but if we don't pull it off we die. And I don't mean we the few folks on HN. I mean everyone.
Earth is a graveyard of species. Nearly all (99% IIRC) species that ever existed have gone extinct (most before we showed up). As a species, we can't stay here and live. A 9-mile thin layer of gas over a single small planet is just not a reliable long-term basis of survival. In fact, the fragility of our tiny little habitant is on display right in front of us this century.