>>10887851I agree with some of the points she argues. These celestial bodies are essentially time capsules of times before live began (or at least complex life), and thus deserve study so we can learn about our past and how we humans came to be. This study however requires exceptional care and caution as the microbes here on Earth love to get absolutely everywhere and will contaminate any study of these celestial bodies.
However, not everyone believes and/or understands this, and would happily send their microbe covered probes to space for stuff probably as petty as "just to show we can". And no amount of careful explanation of ethics will convince these people, just in the same way explaining to poachers that killing the last elk of the midwest is a bad thing. Thus, my second point in
>>10887844. Either be there to enforce these ideals, or just accept that not everyone accepts these ideals. Either way, don't complain when someone doesn't agree.
