The processes of starbirth ultimately lead to the events of stardeath. The death of a star, whether it is the quiet passing of a star like the Sun, or the pyrotechnic fireworks of a supernova, ultimately sends materials to space... materials which, in time, become the building blocks of new stars, parts of planets, and ultimately, incorporated into the life that springs up on those planets. We know we are starfolk... the very atoms of our bodies have survived the death of a star... very possibly more than one cycle of stellar rebirth. Perhaps this is why we are driven by curiosity to explore the universe with our tools, our intellects... and our imaginations. There's so much out there to study and explore: other planets, other galaxies, distant quasars, and possibly the very origins of the universe, if we could see far across the universe and long enough back in time. In time, perhaps, we'll think of ways to fling our bodies across the light-years, to experience for ourselves the forces that shape the universe. For now, however, we must content ourselves with the tools we have, and let our dreams of exploration carry us forward. This is the end... for now. Watch this show grow as time goes by... Back to the Opening page |