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Milky Way zoomed in
Credit: A. Ghizzi Panizza/ESO 
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“The human race is just a chemical scum on a moderate-sized planet, orbiting around a very average star in the outer suburb of one among a hundred billion galaxies.” This sentence, spoken once by Stephen Hawking, subjectively and, one has to admit, very peculiarly defines us and pinpoints our place in space. So, here we are; on the third planet from the local Sun, albeit different, basically contradicted concepts of origin, i.e. how it all began. ALMA¹, for instance, is the project intended, among other things, to addresses the issue. 

Nevertheless, we always dreamed about getting there; to these distant worlds hidden somewhere among plenitude of stars. Today this, yet a century ago unachievable, dream came true. At least to a certain extent. At the beginning of April 2026 a manned mission, Artemis II², set out to the rendez-vous with the Moon and safely returned ten days later. For the first time, since 1972. Although none landing was planned, the expedition marked a new chapter in the exploration of Earth's natural satellite. That's because it is perceived as an important “waypoint” for much farther space flights and “a petrol station” rich in Helium-3. Isn't it, however, a utopian vision, especially when there are still so many unsolved problems on our ”Pale Blue Dot”? Wars and conflicts are the top ones. As the media reports the cost of a lunar base, which NASA plans to build in the upcoming decade, is estimated on 30 billion dollars. By comparison the war with Iran has already reached 25 billion dollars. Within just eight weeks.

Drones redefined a modern warfare and are used on a large scale, like never before. But instead of bringing, in most cases, only death and destruction, their civilian, cheap and advanced counterparts (gathered in swarms) could serve “in peace for all mankind” by exploring remote corners of the Universe. It would undoubtedly be a way economic and safer solution, as it is almost impossible to predict all threats astronauts may encounter. Each time I think about this, I am overwhelmed by the variety and complexity of possible scenarios in this matter. And it is not only about whether a microbiological³ threat takes the precedence over the macrobiological one. Especially, advanced, inteligent life-forms. Whatever they will be called: EBEs  (Extraterrestrial Biological Entities), ETs, NBEs (Non-human Biological Entities). We will probably never develop an outstanding defence system capable to perform, with a hundred-percent efficiency, a task in the above mentioned domains. On the other hand, we live and act as if there was indeed nobody out there… Perhaps, that is our essential mistake.

So here comes Hawking once again with the following words:  “We are so insignificant that I can't believe the whole universe exists for our benefit.” They constitute the continuation of a quote from which I have started this post. I completely identify with his idea, because something happens in (air)space and here, in the skies we all share. I mean the presence of enigmatic UAPs⁴. This fact clearly proves that we, somehow, drew the attention of extraterrestrial neighbours. Whatever are their intentions, we will rather not hide our activity, but basically we do not even try.

Putting the issue into a slightly different, however corresponding perspective, mankind is the lost infant of the cosmos. It has hardly leaned out its head out of the cradle, to observe vast and fascinating space, but, after all, unattended, plays with very dangerous “toys”. As a result, I suppose, we will not be “authorized” to get to know the greatest mysteries of the universe, yet for a long time. Regardless of our true place among the stars, until something surprisingly redefines us.

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¹

Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array.

²

The crew: Reid Wiseman (Cmdr), Victor Glover, Jr. (pilot), mission specialists: Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen.

³

All micro-organisms or bacteria and viruses in a broad/stricter sense, respectively.

⁴

The acronym was updated last year, so now it stands for: Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena.