Perception and paradigms played a big role, too.
For example, the two Viking probes, which cost one billion dollars and
had those amazing automated biology laboratories costing $60 million
apiece were designed to look for Martian creatures which we now know
probably either do not exist or if they do at all, are nowhere near or on
the surface of the planet.
Billions and trillions have been spent trying to aleviate hunger and
poverty, but the world still has plenty of both. So while certainly a lot
has been learned and done in the last few decades beyond anything
before it, we still have a long way to go. There's nothing wrong with
that, and I certainly don't think we should do anything drastic just
because we don't have all the answers yet.
Universe = 13.7 billion years old.
Humanity = 6 million years old, more or less.
Modern Science = maybe the last few centuries.
Space/Science » in reply to re: But the space program didn't go the way people thought it would in 1960
Money isn't everything