I was surprised by Joshua Lederberg’s actions after the Soviet Union launch Sputnik and the space race began. I can imagine that most people where concerned for the safety of their country during the Cold War with the fear of nuclear warfare. Yet, Lederberg was concerned with protecting the “indigenous life-forms across the solar system.” This was surprising because I believe, had I been in Lederberg’s position, that I would be more concerned with the impeding danger on Earth rather than the potential destruction of life-forms in the solar system. I strenuously agreed, for the most part, with this article’s statement that, “Life is not a given, its frequency on the cosmic stage is a vital statistic to learn, but gaining that knowledge is one
