In yet more proof that science can be cool, my old pal/writer extraordinaire Richard has written a piece for the New York Times that's bound to get space nerds excited. In Life After Earth: Imagining Survival Beyond This Terra Firma, Richard somehow manages to make the modestly named Alliance to Rescue Civilization sound less crazy than you might expect. I mean, he even gets Buzz Aldrin to support their cause!
When the dust settles after World War III, or World War IX, humanity will still want to grow pineapples, rice, coffee and other crops. That is why in June on the island of Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic, all five Scandinavian prime ministers met to break ground on a $4.8-million “doomsday vault” that will stockpile crop seeds in case of global catastrophe.
Now I mentioned to Richard on the phone one night that this crazy space project could be used for other agricultural purposes: seed-saving, for instance. You know, for the day when genetically-modified craziness has decimated all the remaining local and natural varieties of produce we have. Richard told me that was left-wing hippie madness. But I'm just saying...
Oh, it's also Richard's birthday today. And since I've already celebrated his fabulousness on m-pyre once, I'll just let his recent e-mail speak for itself. This after I chastised him for not having access to recent high school reunion photos featuring a variety of our decade-long crushes:
...Regardless of my whereabouts, did you really think i wouldn't have already known about you in that sensational black dress with the flowery berry blast explosion on it? Silly Maggie, pics are for me. I'm a reporter, 'member?
Ah... Love that boy.
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