NSS WikiDescribe BloomfieldAbstract here.
224 Space - The Endless Frontier In a review of man's cultural evolution, this is seen as progressing in long periods of stability with short periods of transition which are followed by more complex periods of stability with a more complex society. This can be shown on the following charts (which are attached), as a step function which for biological activity is called punctuation equilibrium. Our periods of stability were as an animal society, a tribal society and a peasant society. We have experienced constant change since 1700, and forecast nothing but change into the future. I believe that the history of man is characterized by productivity of food production, which shows dramatic increases during transitions. When in the future, productivity can no longer be increased, we will have achieved a stable automated society. Computer controlled machines will produce all of our goods. Space will be the one area where humans will find the endless frontier. I think it is generally accepted that we will have a moon colony in the next 25 years; and then a Mars colony. The ultimate goal is space travel will be to colonize other star systems. I believe it will be on these other star systems that man will evolve new human species - not necessarily more intelligent. When I write that space is the endless frontier, I think in terms of man or future human species, not only traveling throughout our galaxy, but traveling to other galaxies. Think that our galaxy is about 100,000 light years in diameter, and the closest galaxy is 2.9 million light years away, this has got to be an endless frontier. If this scenario is the future of man, we can only wonder why space is not the number on priority of our current transitional society.