AS we extend the mind-blowing edge of the universe with ever more powerful telescopes, the discovery of Proxima Centauri, in its resemblance to our blue planet, exerts a positive philosophical benefit.
The remote possibility of life elsewhere is a reminder of the preciousness of our vulnerable home planet. To claim the existence of an Earth-like planet implies that we know and understand our planet enough to recognise a similar entity at the far edge of human consciousness.
Despite a changing climate and an unsettled population, there is some essence of our planet that we can recognise and point to, saying, that is us. It serves to remind us that Earth is special.
As we peer deeper and with greater acuity into the universe, we are forced to appreciate the complexity of all worlds, including our own. There remains a glimmer of hope in our chaotically violent world.
JOSEPH TING, Brisbane, Australia