Friday, December 28, 2012

One-Shot Affair

“With coal gone, oil gone, high-grade metallic ores gone, no species however competent can make the long climb from primitive conditions to high-level technology. This is a one-shot affair. If we fail, this planetary system fails so far as intelligence is concerned. The same will be true of other planetary systems. On each of them there will be one chance, and one chance only." 
          -- Sir Fred Hoyle, "Of Men and Galaxies," 1964

Look on our works, and despair!
The resources are no longer there;
To support such advance,
There was only one chance:
This was a one-shot affair.

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