Galileo Is Rolling In His Grave

(Courtesy of/www.jantoo.com)

Centuries of conflict between scientists and priests:

Nature of the universe, if we evolved from beasts,

If God gave mankind dominion over all the Earth,

How it's even possible to have a virgin birth.

Now a new Encyclical gives scientists some hope

That they could be looking at a different kind of Pope.

This Pope studied chemistry before he joined the Church;

Francis is inclined to heed the climate change research.

Planet's getting warmer and a major cause is man.

Scientists don't speak the language of the Vatican;

This time, though, their evidence supports the Holy See

And - on man's poor stewardship of Earth - both sides agree.

Is imperative to change a moral one, or not?

In the end it doesn't matter to the Earth a lot.

If we all continue to befoul the place we live

Neither God nor nature's laws are likely to forgive.

Hitching a Ride on 67P/Churyumov Gerasimenko

Rosetta, the European Space Agency's probe, is preparing to hitch a ride on a comet.

Ten years after launching, the Rosetta's reached its goal.

In November it will give the dice another roll;

When they'll try to put a lander safely on the ground -

Ride the comet towards the sun and on its trip around.

Wasn't all that long ago a comet sighting meant

Kings were born or dying; wise men followed where they went.

Now, with thanks to science and some complicated math,

Someday wise men might attempt to shift a comet's path.

How is that for progress, people? Dinosaurs be damned...

Didn't have a chance back when a giant comet slammed

Into Earth from outer-space...  Perhaps we humans will.

And, if nothing else, the coming ride should be a thrill.