What are we missing?

January 01, 2005 (PRLEAP.COM) Education News
Old World, New World, Third World… What's the difference? We are all part of this world. Some are rich, many are poor, but it seems to me that we often forget the most basic fundamentals of existence. Proliferation, longevity and the adaptation of genetics to suit the environment in which life exists.
As humans, what are we doing to emulate the natural instruments that all living things strive for? Take a look at plants and you will see that they use every trick nature can conjure to ensure survival and proliferation. The same can be said for animals, insects, fish, bacteria and the tiniest sparks of life that exist on the planet. They all spawn and spread themselves to the environments they can access. They all adapt to change. Those which fail, die out.
Our species is perhaps unique in that it can utilize the products and knowledge that are not governed by our individual genetic make-up. But our innate selfishness blinds us to the absolutes that are certain and obvious. We have not yet sent forth our seed beyond our tiny little patch of dirt we call Earth.
Why not? Well of course there is 'money' and the human fact that we like to think of our explorations as being a conscious act. When we probe space, we send our minds, general culture and conscious twists in many forms, all of which are impatient. We want astronauts to explore near space. If we can't use people, we'll send robots that will remotely replicate our eyes, ears and sensory instruments so that we can gain immediate results that placate our ever expanding human ego. But… have we forgotten something? Technology is here, right now, for us humans to ensure that our species has a chance of proliferating itself beyond our planet.
We have the technology right now and more that is emerging, to enable us as a species to send our genetics in embryonic cellular form randomly into space. Miniature robotic-nurseries are within our bursary and technological capability. Perhaps as small as tin-cans, our genetic embryonics could conceivably be set adrift by the thousand, perhaps millions, into the vastness of space on the premise that maybe a tiny percentage might some time in the far distant future, land in a hospitable place and effectively 'seed' human life. Like plant seeds and spores that take their chances, our own technologically advanced seed-nurseries might well reach fertile ground that are within the limitations of adaptability and survivability.
So why aren't we hedging our bets and doing it? Money? If that's the pathetic argument then we may as well call it quits right now. No money we have today will be relevant in a couple of billion years anyway! Nor will individual egos or any other feeble conceited concept of 'self' that we can imagine, be relevant. Perhaps though, if we send out enough seed nurseries, from now to the end of our earthly existence, we could all benefit from the knowledge that our species has a chance of survival elsewhere. Forget the irrelevant nonsense and mischief that we might bring upon ourselves here on this planet. Think carefully about this… What would happen if just one of our fancy science experiments into quantum nuclear physics (for example) goes horribly wrong and instead of blowing up the chemistry lab, blows up the world? What would we have to show for ourselves except a few tin space-cans beaming the odd chirping message to folk who no longer exist?
We need to proliferate ourselves in whatever form possible, off the planet, out there, replicating what nature itself tells us is the normal 'way of life'. Let's be positive and ensure our chances of survival on a genetic level! We have what it takes and as a species we are very very smart. 
Perhaps this intellect that we have developed in this microscopic fragment of the universe really is a rare and unique event that has occurred in a speck of space-time. Let's make the most of it and give our wonderful genetics and clever technology the chance to ensure that what we are, replicates the very nature of our own existence. Proliferate our genes, cheaply, by the thousand, while we can. It makes sense.