“What!” Martin asked.
“From the time we are young, we are taught that a human being can achieve anything. Surely! We have infinite capabilities?”
“No, my dear. We are all taught wrong. A human being has infinite potential, but very very limited capabilities; both physically and mentally.”
Martin shook his head, “You were saying something professor, about the cold war?..”
“Aah yes...” the professor resumed.
“Among the Soviets was a brilliant Space Engineer called Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. He was the father of their Space program. Tsiolkovsky was driven by an idea. space travel would allow the human race to abandon Earth in the face of overpopulation and natural catastrophes, thereby securing the continued existence of humanity.
He envisioned a species of super humans, a form of eugenics, bordering on improbable engineering of the Human body, to adapt to space conditions. These super humans would use Earth as a source of energy and raw materials and cosmic evolution would eventually allow them to shed their physical 'shells' and develop into ethereal energy, becoming immortal and boundless."
"So, the USA and USSR practiced eugenics again?" asked Anita.
"Not in the real sense, no." replied the professor, and continued.
"The 1950s and 60s had opened up new avenues in science like molecular biology and biochemistry, the structure of the DNA was discovered. DNA, the basic genetic code of life was isolated and studied. Man could now make changes to the genetic structure and study them. Mankind now had the wherewithal to start playing god. Theoretically it was now possible to create a human being who was stronger, faster, and consumed less resources such that he is highly energy efficient. Such a kind of a Super Human is, if not ideal, at least more capable than us 'normal' humans to face conditions of outer space and environment of hostile planets."
"Wait," Martin interrupted. "Why go through all the controversial Eugenics way? Why not develop robotic probes or robots sufficiently to send them to explore outer space autonomously?"
"Valid question" Professor Antonio had risen from his seat for some time now. He was rubbing his hands in glee. He was pacing the room furiously.
"But it all comes to the matter of the payload- that is, what you are actually sending out there in space. Rather than sending a five hundred pound robot to which you have to communicate instructions with a large operational setup here on earth, you rather send a three hundred pound space hardy Superhuman who can think on his own and take his own decisions. Add to it the fantastic maneuverability of human anatomy. Like the way you can move your limbs and spine. These provide more flexibility in space and also on hard ground, say on the surface of Mars. Robots are at least decades away from attaining such physical flexibility.
(To Be Continued Tomorrow...)
[The complete Book ‘MAN FROM TOMORROW’ can be downloaded at amzn.to/2MSf1ng]
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