Are We Alone in the Universe?

Do you remember when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon?

I sure do. My Mom made sure of it. July 20, 1969...a typical warm, humid night in rural Alabama. Up until then, non-fictional TV memories for me were sad events. I vaguely remember the assassination of JFK. While I don't remember MLK or RFK's deaths, I have way too many memories of the Vietnam War splattered across the TV screen every evening on the 6:00 news. So I happily recall this bit of space history.

I remember sitting cross-legged on the floor at my grandparents, barefoot, of course, in my typical summer wear of shorts and a light weight short-sleeved top, watching with anticipation for that first man-made step onto the moon. There was a little discussion about whether this was really happening or some kind of space conspiracy made up by NASA!

We watched it at my grandparents because they owned a "color" TV. Looking back, it's really kind of funny since everything except the flag was pretty much black and white. I guess Mama, along with the rest of the world, didn't really know what to expect. For all she knew the surface was going to be made of orange cheese and little purple creatures were going to pop up out of craters!

I'm so glad she made me watch. It is amazing what scientists and astronomers have discovered since that momentous "giant step for mankind." Just tuning in to the Discovery Channel about recent space explorations makes that magical moment on the moon in 1969 as simple as when man discovered the wheel! Move ahead now to 2010.

NASA's Kepler space telescope just discovered 5 new exoplanets, which are planets beyond our solar system, on its search to find habitable planets similar to the size of earth with close proximity to stars like our sun. Essentially, we are still looking to answer:

"Are we alone in the Universe?"

Ever since man has looked up in the sky, this question has been asked. With all the discoveries from the last 50 years, it would seem reasonable that we are closer now than ever to finally answering that question. But even the experts will tell you that there is so much about the universe yet to be known. Just like the mission to the moon, when it comes to space exploration, we are still pioneers. Can you imagine what mankind will know in another 500 years? That, my friend, is mind-boggling.

One day, my great-great-great-great-great...Ok, you get the picture...grandchildren will know this answer. Maybe my own little bit of history will be past down and they can tell the story about how their 9 year-old grandmother sat on the floor in a racially-biased country, during a decade of assassinations, while fighting a losing battle in a small country called Vietnam, on one of the first mainstream color televisions affordable to the general public, and watched the first man land and walk on the moon. Just like in 1969 and now in 2010, I hope my grandchildren won't be asking this same old question:

When will the war end?