Pointless thread

[dakine]

Unless it was near by, like in our own solar system, what would knowing there is a planet that would support life, or even knowing there is life, even intelligent life, in our own galaxy or beyond, get us?

All this talk about how great it would be to have the TMT, and what a massive loss it would be to not have it, is missing one part of the equation for me, a product, something we can point to as the payback, the gain. Sure it's great to talk about finding other life supporting planets, and oh man it'd be awesome when (not if) all those fantastic discoveries are made. But after they are, and there's a round or two in the news, and a thread about it here, what will be different the day after? Will we be better equipped to deal with our social problems? Will our energy and waste problems be solved? Will we have better food sources? Will wars end? Poverty? Will idiots like Donald Trump and his followers mysteriously disappear? Really what would be the upside? I mean so many here speak so glowingly about it and are willing to be so harsh to those that don't there's got to be gold at the end of that rainbow, yes?