There must be enormous numbers of planets around the stars in the many galaxies in our observable universe. We may be sure that wonderful things are happening on these planets that the human race never will observe.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the vastness of the universe and the likelihood of unknown wonders existing on distant planets.
Jim Peebles emphasizes the enormity of the universe and suggests that with countless planets orbiting stars across galaxies, there are bound to be extraordinary phenomena occurring beyond our perception. This statement invites us to reflect on the limits of human observation and to appreciate the mysteries of the cosmos that remain hidden from us.
In practice
During a lecture on astronomy, to inspire wonder about the universe.
We often say that our science is objective and accurate, but we don't often say that our science is incomplete - that although the established parts of natural science are very well tested and the evidence makes a compelling case for things being as they've been described, there nevertheless are open questions that we cannot answer.
Let us understand what our own selfish genes are up to because we may then at least have the chance to upset their designs.
A great power imposes the obligation of exercising restraint, and we did not live up to this obligation. I think this affected many of the scientists in a subtle sense, and it diminished their desire to continue to work on the bomb.
Companies are the first to see the costs of climate change.
The radical novelty of modern science lies precisely in the rejection of the belief... that the forces which move the stars and atoms are contingent upon the preferences of the human heart.
The human species took a crucial step forward when its vocal musculature came under operant control in the production of speech sounds. Indeed, it is possible that all the distinctive achievements of the species can be traced to that one genetic change.
Geography is just physics slowed down, with a couple of trees stuck in it.
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