The hope could be basic, almost elemental. As Stephen Jay Gould pointed out, on Earth DNA is always the winner. The lion chases the antelope, and catches it, the lion's DNA benefits. The antelope gets away, the antelope's DNA is rewarded.

One might think that humans are too large and complex to survive on any astronomical scale. It could well be we have evolved for this time and place, and to attempt to thrive elsewhere, or even maintain, is folly.

And as a species we are woefully deficient in a number of areas. Considering the nature of the Universe there are powerful physical constraints against our perservation. And we still have a powerful heritage of being raptors with a very limited ability to sacrifice for the long-term benefit of our, or any other, species or environment. It's not as if Homo Sapiens can hold itself out as the ultimate goal of the process of life.

We might want to think of ourselves as a product of DNA, and consider preserving ourselves by spreading a very basic form of DNA around the Universe.

That of course would have basic philosophical and religious considerations, forcing a re-think of humans role in a grander scheme. It won't happen because of the chauvinistic nature of the creatures we call us.

Arf