The idea of space exploration has always fascinated me, if nothing for the fact it will help us survive as a species in a shrinking and increasingly volatile world. Now that scientists have started finding extrasolar close-to-Earth-like planets such Gliese 581 c, the excitement has reached new levels.

The theories and possible ways to propogate the stars are just amazing, everything from sub-light generation ships to Embryo space colonization (robotic missions with frozen embryos on board, to be seeded once they reach the end of their long journey.)

And what happens a few thousand years from now when the numerous colonies of man have each changed differently via participant evolution to match their new and diverse biomes? Will we even be the same species anymore?

It's one of the few areas left that still fills me with that child-like awe.