Of planets, cheating, robins and the unthinkable

The fact, as reported by the BBC, that we might have found a planet able to sustain life, even if it is 20.5 light years away is exciting. Its still one of the basic questions and of great importance. The news is about about outward focus and discovery of new things, it is hopeful in nature. Contrast that with another news item on the industry which has grown up in China to carry out the manual task of gathering points for your World of Warcraft character; an inward focus, not about the discovery of new reality but avoidance of the existing. Then we find that robins are having to sing at night in order to avoid competition with urban noise polution and I don’t even want to think about this one. I am getting old, and starting to worry about the next generation. Maybe I should just stop reading the news?