Experiment Read Free

and some away from us and all at different speeds and trajectories. You might transport the telescope out to a region of empty space only to find that it is no longer empty. This is yet another light-speed barrier problem. If you look into the sky and see nothing but empty space, you are still looking into the past. The present is something we are unequipped to see at a distance. That seemingly empty region of sky may presently contain millions of stars. We just won’t be able to see them until the light reaches us from them.
    My question is this, how do you know you won’t accidentally transport the telescope into the corona of a star or into an asteroid belt? That telescope is the most advanced and therefore most expensive telescope in the world. I’d hate for you to destroy it.”
    James had thought about every possible question and was relieved to be answering one so intelligent.
    He responded, “The transported telescope had a few near misses in Beta testing but the more it is used to map the stars in real time, the better the chances of avoiding impacts. We're mapping the skies as they are today and so the more we use it the better we’ll get at using it. We just need to take baby steps in the beginning. It helps that space is mostly empty too."
    Robert seemed pleased with the response and so James continued, “ The genius of the transporter is that it shows us our place in the heavens. It does not trick us the way light always has. It does not make us wait for answers. We may finally know if there is life elsewhere in the universe. We may finally get a glimpse of the grand design.”
    James stared at each of the ir images, whilst hiding his apprehension. Finally, they convened to discuss the proposal amongst themselves.
    James was about to switch off the projector when, Robert ’s image re-emerged.
    He said, “Wait just a moment. They’re almost done deliberating. We should have an answer in a few seconds.”
    James’ heart skipped a beat but he hid his fear. A result this quickly could mean only one thing - his project was being scrapped. They’d probably have him working on something highly mundane before the week was out.
    The board members all appeared before him and the senior board member spoke.
    He said, “Although the implications of your design are somewhat vague to us at this moment, it is conceivable that your invention may one day be profitable for the corporation. Your genius continues to astound us Mr. Hoo.
    At the moment , however, I am personally inclined to abandon the project simply because it offers nothing tangible or immediate. Fortunately for you, my judgment was over-ruled by my junior members here. We have reached a compromise. Unless you can prove that your invention can achieve a profitable return within two months, the project will be terminated. Thank you for your time and good luck to you.”
    The image s of the board members went blank.
    James was elated. He had an idea for an adaptation to the telescope that he was eager to work on , and now he knew he had ample time to do it.
    It was a supposedly impossible undertak ing; something deemed fanciful by every top scientist in the world. James had thought of a new way to approach the problem and two months of covert morning work should be more than enough time to pull it off. If he could just put in a solid eight or ten hours, he could probably complete it all at once.
    Again, he would need to be careful. Many scientists had been terminated in the past due to independent thought and erratic actions. It seemed as though the great thinkers’ genetic material was somehow more fragile than that of others because over time they seemed to unravel emotionally and mentally. The scientific community was under constant surveillance to ensure genetic deterioration was promptly dealt with.
    Throughout his years at the corporation James had seen two colleagues taken away for termination. The issue of genetic deterioration amongst high level