Charles Darwin was a good naturalist (biologist) who did work in a variety of areas such as plant hormones and barnacles. But when it came to fossils (physical evidence) documenting macroevolution, he knew they argued against his idea. In fact, one chapter in his 1859 book is entitled, "On the Imperfection of the Geologic Record."

As an incoming university student of geology I was required to take a class in Historical Geology. I can recall my professor saying, "back in the Dark Ages . . ." intelligent people actually believed the Bible, including doctrines like a few-thousand-year-old earth, a world-covering flood, and a built-in fixity to the created kinds of plants and animals.

When speculating about life in the universe, scientists need to be more realistic than Hollywood. In Star Trek, no matter where the actors land, they can walk around and breathe the air. That may be easier on directors, but for a surface to be habitable, there are physical requirements.

In this unique era of human history, manned space flight -- the dream of many a novelist -- has become routine. Star Trek and its spin-offs have taken our imaginations far beyond our giant leap to the moon. Is the sky the limit?