--- title: "Best David Grinspoon Sayings" description: "David Grinspoon is an American astrobiologist who worked at NASA. Browse 103 David Grinspoon quotes." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b002/author-david-grinspoon-5141.jpg" --- ![Portrait of David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b002/author-david-grinspoon-5141.jpg) # David Grinspoon (1959) Astronomer **103** quotes in **335** categories Rate this collection: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet David Grinspoon is an astronomer. ## Quick Facts About David Grinspoon Born January 1, 1959 Profession Astronomer ## About David Grinspoon David H. Grinspoon served as NASA’s Senior Scientist for Astrobiology Strategy from 2023 to 2025. He was also the first Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology during 2012–2013. ## Quotes by David Grinspoon · Page 3 > [The planet Mars -- crimson and bright, filling our telescopes with vague intimations of almost-familiar landforms -- has long formed a celestial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/the-planet-mars-crimson-and-bright-filling-our-telescopes-with-vague-2/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Alien invasion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien-invasion/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/david-grinspoon-5141_alien-invasion_the-planet-mars-crimson-and-bright-filli_2974298.jpg) > [When you think about alien intelligences making art, you then have to think about what art is and how bound up it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/when-you-think-about-alien-intelligences-making-art-you-then-have-to/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/david-grinspoon-5141_art_when-you-think-about-alien-intelligences_50304.jpg) > [If you were on the surface of Venus, assuming you could see the Sun, which, you know, would be hard because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/if-you-were-on-the-surface-of-venus-assuming-you-could-see-the-sun/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aef/david-grinspoon-5141_cloudy_if-you-were-on-the-surface-of-venus-assu_1346341.jpg) > [We need visions of a future in which we have applied our infinite creativity to the task of living on a finite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/we-need-visions-of-a-future-in-which-we-have-applied-our-infinite/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/david-grinspoon-5141_creativity_we-need-visions-of-a-future-in-which-we_2415357.jpg) > [Certainly for me, as an astrobiologist, science fiction has played an important role. One of the quandaries of our field is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/certainly-for-me-as-an-astrobiologist-science-fiction-has-played-an/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Biosphere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biosphere/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/104/david-grinspoon-5141_biosphere_certainly-for-me-as-an-astrobiologist-sc_129559.jpg) > [Ever since the environmental movement was sparked by photos of the whole Earth taken by astronauts onboard Apollo Lunar Modules, I've seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/ever-since-the-environmental-movement-was-sparked-by-photos-of-the/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d54/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_ever-since-the-environmental-movement-wa_3140365.jpg) > [I was a science fiction geek from an early age, enthralled by the questions of life in the universe. As I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/i-was-a-science-fiction-geek-from-an-early-age-enthralled-by-the/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aae/david-grinspoon-5141_age_i-was-a-science-fiction-geek-from-an-ear_578211.jpg) > [There's eco-pragmatism, where you recognize, 'Yeah, we live on a planet that's permanently altered by humanity, and rather than seek to return…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/there-s-eco-pragmatism-where-you-recognize-yeah-we-live-on-a-planet/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/david-grinspoon-5141_humanity_there-s-eco-pragmatism-where-you-recogni_1658995.jpg) > [Why should we consider defining intelligence as something global and as something that hasn't actually yet appeared on Earth? It may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/why-should-we-consider-defining-intelligence-as-something-global-and/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_why-should-we-consider-defining-intellig_919701.jpg) > [As Earth's climate changes, we can expect more destructive hurricanes. As sea level and surface temperatures rise, more solar energy is trapped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/as-earth-s-climate-changes-we-can-expect-more-destructive-hurricanes/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caf/david-grinspoon-5141_climate-change_as-earth-s-climate-changes-we-can-expect_870775.jpg) > [Now, humans have become a dominant force of planetary change and, thus, we may have entered an eon of post-biological evolution in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/now-humans-have-become-a-dominant-force-of-planetary-change-and-thus/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Biological evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biological-evolution/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/david-grinspoon-5141_biological-evolution_now-humans-have-become-a-dominant-force_812431.jpg) > [What if life is not carbon-based? Can life exist as a gas or a plasma? Could planets or stars in some sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/what-if-life-is-not-carbon-based-can-life-exist-as-a-gas-or-a-plasma/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/david-grinspoon-5141_alive_what-if-life-is-not-carbon-based-can-lif_50679.jpg) > [One of the weird things about modern physics is that we do find there are apparently these other dimensions that we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/one-of-the-weird-things-about-modern-physics-is-that-we-do-find-there/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/david-grinspoon-5141_experience_one-of-the-weird-things-about-modern-phy_1050497.jpg) > [It is said that Mahatma Gandhi, when asked about Western civilization, remarked, 'I think it would be a good idea.' That's how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/it-is-said-that-mahatma-gandhi-when-asked-about-western-civilization/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_it-is-said-that-mahatma-gandhi-when-aske_2844628.jpg) > [As long as we are a single-planet species, we are vulnerable to extinction by a planetwide catastrophe, natural or self-induced. Once we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/as-long-as-we-are-a-single-planet-species-we-are-vulnerable-to/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Catastrophe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catastrophe/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f2/david-grinspoon-5141_catastrophe_as-long-as-we-are-a-single-planet-specie_1072061.jpg) > [Literally, my earliest memory, my earliest vivid memory, is the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon. Yeah, I was in fourth grade,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/literally-my-earliest-memory-my-earliest-vivid-memory-is-the-apollo/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/david-grinspoon-5141_find_literally-my-earliest-memory-my-earliest_1252320.jpg) > [When I first went to college, I went into physics, and my goal was to help perfect nuclear fusion so I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/when-i-first-went-to-college-i-went-into-physics-and-my-goal-was-to/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/david-grinspoon-5141_college_when-i-first-went-to-college-i-went-into_623192.jpg) > [Mars does not have an atmosphere and does not have a magnetic field today, so the planet doesn't have the protection from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/mars-does-not-have-an-atmosphere-and-does-not-have-a-magnetic-field/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f86/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_mars-does-not-have-an-atmosphere-and-doe_1154667.jpg) > [It's OK to pursue speculative ideas because we don't want to be too cozy and safe and assume that we know everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/it-s-ok-to-pursue-speculative-ideas-because-we-don-t-want-to-be-too/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Cozy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cozy/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/david-grinspoon-5141_cozy_it-s-ok-to-pursue-speculative-ideas-beca_2079006.jpg) > [What I wonder most about the Anthropocene is not when did it start - but when, and how, will it end? Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/what-i-wonder-most-about-the-anthropocene-is-not-when-did-it-start/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/david-grinspoon-5141_awareness_what-i-wonder-most-about-the-anthropocen_514009.jpg) > [We're going to get off fossil fuels, no question. We may not do it quickly enough to avoid some pain, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/we-re-going-to-get-off-fossil-fuels-no-question-we-may-not-do-it/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/david-grinspoon-5141_avoid_we-re-going-to-get-off-fossil-fuels-no-q_394225.jpg) > [I intend to apply the perspective of astrobiology, which is a deep-time way of looking at life on Earth, towards the question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/i-intend-to-apply-the-perspective-of-astrobiology-which-is-a-deep/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Astrobiology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astrobiology/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/david-grinspoon-5141_human_i-intend-to-apply-the-perspective-of-ast_967284.jpg) > [The basic ability to not wipe oneself out, to endure, to use your technological interaction with the world in such a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/the-basic-ability-to-not-wipe-oneself-out-to-endure-to-use-your/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/david-grinspoon-5141_endure_the-basic-ability-to-not-wipe-oneself-ou_2221927.jpg) ## David Grinspoon by topic [Earth (25)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/david-grinspoon/) [Space (21)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/david-grinspoon/) [Life (17)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/david-grinspoon/) [Time (16)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/david-grinspoon/) [Science (16)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/david-grinspoon/) [Nature of man (10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/david-grinspoon/) [Nature (10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/david-grinspoon/) [Future (10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/david-grinspoon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/#itemlist", "name": "David Grinspoon Quotes", "numberOfItems": 23, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The planet Mars -- crimson and bright, filling our telescopes with vague intimations of almost-familiar landforms -- has long formed a celestial tabula rasa on which we have inscribed our planeto-logical theories, utopian fantasies, and fears of alien invasion or ecological ruin.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/the-planet-mars-crimson-and-bright-filling-our-telescopes-with-vague-2/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/david-grinspoon-5141_alien-invasion_the-planet-mars-crimson-and-bright-filli_2974298.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/david-grinspoon-5141_alien-invasion_the-planet-mars-crimson-and-bright-filli_2974298.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/david-grinspoon-5141_alien-invasion_the-planet-mars-crimson-and-bright-filli_2974298.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The planet Mars -- crimson and bright, filling our telescopes with vague intimations of almost-familiar…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you think about alien intelligences making art, you then have to think about what art is and how bound up it is in the nature of consciousness. 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One of the quandaries…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 6, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ever since the environmental movement was sparked by photos of the whole Earth taken by astronauts onboard Apollo Lunar Modules, I've seen planetary exploration as an extension of a reverence and care for Earth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/ever-since-the-environmental-movement-was-sparked-by-photos-of-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d54/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_ever-since-the-environmental-movement-wa_3140365.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d54/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_ever-since-the-environmental-movement-wa_3140365.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d54/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_ever-since-the-environmental-movement-wa_3140365.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ever since the environmental movement was sparked by photos of the whole Earth taken by astronauts onboard…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a science fiction geek from an early age, enthralled by the questions of life in the universe. As I got older, I learned that space exploration was real. I wanted to get involved in that. I knew I wanted to be a scientist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/i-was-a-science-fiction-geek-from-an-early-age-enthralled-by-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aae/david-grinspoon-5141_age_i-was-a-science-fiction-geek-from-an-ear_578211.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aae/david-grinspoon-5141_age_i-was-a-science-fiction-geek-from-an-ear_578211.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aae/david-grinspoon-5141_age_i-was-a-science-fiction-geek-from-an-ear_578211.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was a science fiction geek from an early age, enthralled by the questions of life in the universe. As I…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's eco-pragmatism, where you recognize, 'Yeah, we live on a planet that's permanently altered by humanity, and rather than seek to return to or preserve pure wilderness, we recognize that's an illusion, and we proceed under the new knowledge that we live, in fact, in a human-dominated planet.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/there-s-eco-pragmatism-where-you-recognize-yeah-we-live-on-a-planet/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/david-grinspoon-5141_humanity_there-s-eco-pragmatism-where-you-recogni_1658995.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/david-grinspoon-5141_humanity_there-s-eco-pragmatism-where-you-recogni_1658995.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/david-grinspoon-5141_humanity_there-s-eco-pragmatism-where-you-recogni_1658995.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's eco-pragmatism, where you recognize, 'Yeah, we live on a planet that's permanently altered by…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why should we consider defining intelligence as something global and as something that hasn't actually yet appeared on Earth? It may be useful for envisioning the future of our own civilization and any others that may be out there among the stars. It might give us something to strive for.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/why-should-we-consider-defining-intelligence-as-something-global-and/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_why-should-we-consider-defining-intellig_919701.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_why-should-we-consider-defining-intellig_919701.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_why-should-we-consider-defining-intellig_919701.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why should we consider defining intelligence as something global and as something that hasn't actually yet…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As Earth's climate changes, we can expect more destructive hurricanes. As sea level and surface temperatures rise, more solar energy is trapped in the atmosphere, revving up the hydrological cycle of evaporation and precipitation and sometimes manifesting in terrifying storms.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/as-earth-s-climate-changes-we-can-expect-more-destructive-hurricanes/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caf/david-grinspoon-5141_climate-change_as-earth-s-climate-changes-we-can-expect_870775.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caf/david-grinspoon-5141_climate-change_as-earth-s-climate-changes-we-can-expect_870775.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caf/david-grinspoon-5141_climate-change_as-earth-s-climate-changes-we-can-expect_870775.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As Earth's climate changes, we can expect more destructive hurricanes. As sea level and surface temperatures…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 11, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Now, humans have become a dominant force of planetary change and, thus, we may have entered an eon of post-biological evolution in which cognitive systems have gained a powerful influence on the planet.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/now-humans-have-become-a-dominant-force-of-planetary-change-and-thus/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/david-grinspoon-5141_biological-evolution_now-humans-have-become-a-dominant-force_812431.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/david-grinspoon-5141_biological-evolution_now-humans-have-become-a-dominant-force_812431.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/david-grinspoon-5141_biological-evolution_now-humans-have-become-a-dominant-force_812431.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Now, humans have become a dominant force of planetary change and, thus, we may have entered an eon of…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 12, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What if life is not carbon-based? Can life exist as a gas or a plasma? Could planets or stars in some sense be alive? What about an interstellar cloud? Could life exist on such a small or large scale, or move so fast or so slowly that we wouldn't recognize it? Could you have an intelligent virus?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/what-if-life-is-not-carbon-based-can-life-exist-as-a-gas-or-a-plasma/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/david-grinspoon-5141_alive_what-if-life-is-not-carbon-based-can-lif_50679.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/david-grinspoon-5141_alive_what-if-life-is-not-carbon-based-can-lif_50679.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/david-grinspoon-5141_alive_what-if-life-is-not-carbon-based-can-lif_50679.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What if life is not carbon-based? Can life exist as a gas or a plasma? Could planets or stars in some sense…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 13, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the weird things about modern physics is that we do find there are apparently these other dimensions that we don't directly experience that explain some aspects of the overall geometry and reality of our universe.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/one-of-the-weird-things-about-modern-physics-is-that-we-do-find-there/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/david-grinspoon-5141_experience_one-of-the-weird-things-about-modern-phy_1050497.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/david-grinspoon-5141_experience_one-of-the-weird-things-about-modern-phy_1050497.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/david-grinspoon-5141_experience_one-of-the-weird-things-about-modern-phy_1050497.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One of the weird things about modern physics is that we do find there are apparently these other dimensions…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 14, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is said that Mahatma Gandhi, when asked about Western civilization, remarked, 'I think it would be a good idea.' That's how I feel about intelligent life on Earth, especially when I think about the question of what truly intelligent life might look like elsewhere in the universe.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/it-is-said-that-mahatma-gandhi-when-asked-about-western-civilization/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_it-is-said-that-mahatma-gandhi-when-aske_2844628.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_it-is-said-that-mahatma-gandhi-when-aske_2844628.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_it-is-said-that-mahatma-gandhi-when-aske_2844628.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is said that Mahatma Gandhi, when asked about Western civilization, remarked, 'I think it would be a good…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 15, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As long as we are a single-planet species, we are vulnerable to extinction by a planetwide catastrophe, natural or self-induced. Once we become a multiplanet species, our chances to live long and prosper will take a huge leap skyward.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/as-long-as-we-are-a-single-planet-species-we-are-vulnerable-to/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f2/david-grinspoon-5141_catastrophe_as-long-as-we-are-a-single-planet-specie_1072061.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f2/david-grinspoon-5141_catastrophe_as-long-as-we-are-a-single-planet-specie_1072061.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f2/david-grinspoon-5141_catastrophe_as-long-as-we-are-a-single-planet-specie_1072061.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As long as we are a single-planet species, we are vulnerable to extinction by a planetwide catastrophe…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 16, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Literally, my earliest memory, my earliest vivid memory, is the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon. Yeah, I was in fourth grade, and I was just so captivated. And I think you'll find a lot of space scientists of my generation will say the same thing. Apollo was a big event for them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/literally-my-earliest-memory-my-earliest-vivid-memory-is-the-apollo/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/david-grinspoon-5141_find_literally-my-earliest-memory-my-earliest_1252320.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/david-grinspoon-5141_find_literally-my-earliest-memory-my-earliest_1252320.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/david-grinspoon-5141_find_literally-my-earliest-memory-my-earliest_1252320.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Literally, my earliest memory, my earliest vivid memory, is the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon. Yeah, I was…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 17, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I first went to college, I went into physics, and my goal was to help perfect nuclear fusion so I could solve the energy crisis and global warming. I probably would have done it, too, if I'd stuck to it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/when-i-first-went-to-college-i-went-into-physics-and-my-goal-was-to/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/david-grinspoon-5141_college_when-i-first-went-to-college-i-went-into_623192.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/david-grinspoon-5141_college_when-i-first-went-to-college-i-went-into_623192.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/david-grinspoon-5141_college_when-i-first-went-to-college-i-went-into_623192.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I first went to college, I went into physics, and my goal was to help perfect nuclear fusion so I could…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 18, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Mars does not have an atmosphere and does not have a magnetic field today, so the planet doesn't have the protection from radiation that our atmosphere and magnetic fields provide us on Earth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/mars-does-not-have-an-atmosphere-and-does-not-have-a-magnetic-field/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f86/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_mars-does-not-have-an-atmosphere-and-doe_1154667.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f86/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_mars-does-not-have-an-atmosphere-and-doe_1154667.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f86/david-grinspoon-5141_earth_mars-does-not-have-an-atmosphere-and-doe_1154667.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Mars does not have an atmosphere and does not have a magnetic field today, so the planet doesn't have the…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 19, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's OK to pursue speculative ideas because we don't want to be too cozy and safe and assume that we know everything about life in the universe. However, we have to be rigorous and careful and honest and logical and scientifically meticulous when we speculate.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/it-s-ok-to-pursue-speculative-ideas-because-we-don-t-want-to-be-too/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/david-grinspoon-5141_cozy_it-s-ok-to-pursue-speculative-ideas-beca_2079006.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/david-grinspoon-5141_cozy_it-s-ok-to-pursue-speculative-ideas-beca_2079006.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/david-grinspoon-5141_cozy_it-s-ok-to-pursue-speculative-ideas-beca_2079006.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's OK to pursue speculative ideas because we don't want to be too cozy and safe and assume that we know…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 20, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I wonder most about the Anthropocene is not when did it start - but when, and how, will it end? Will it end? Or is it possible that our own growing awareness of our role on Earth can itself play a pivotal role in shaping the outcome toward one that we would desire?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/what-i-wonder-most-about-the-anthropocene-is-not-when-did-it-start/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/david-grinspoon-5141_awareness_what-i-wonder-most-about-the-anthropocen_514009.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/david-grinspoon-5141_awareness_what-i-wonder-most-about-the-anthropocen_514009.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/david-grinspoon-5141_awareness_what-i-wonder-most-about-the-anthropocen_514009.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What I wonder most about the Anthropocene is not when did it start - but when, and how, will it end? Will it…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 21, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We're going to get off fossil fuels, no question. We may not do it quickly enough to avoid some pain, and I'm quite worried about that. But by the 22nd century, there's no way we'll be on fossil fuels.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/we-re-going-to-get-off-fossil-fuels-no-question-we-may-not-do-it/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/david-grinspoon-5141_avoid_we-re-going-to-get-off-fossil-fuels-no-q_394225.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/david-grinspoon-5141_avoid_we-re-going-to-get-off-fossil-fuels-no-q_394225.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/david-grinspoon-5141_avoid_we-re-going-to-get-off-fossil-fuels-no-q_394225.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We're going to get off fossil fuels, no question. We may not do it quickly enough to avoid some pain, and…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 22, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I intend to apply the perspective of astrobiology, which is a deep-time way of looking at life on Earth, towards the question of the Anthropocene. 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