Escape.

Editor,

Billionaires are going to have to figure out: a) how to travel thousands of light years fast, and b) how to screen potential planetary destinations for life-supporting characteristics in addition to temperature rapidly if they are going to escape from planet Earth.

It is far cheaper and much easier for them to stop supporting fossil fuel combustion so that they and their progeny can continue to live on Earth and do not have to flee.

Of course, they will have to share the wealth of this planet more equitably because even their police and militaries will eventually be unable to protect them from the billions of people they rip off.

Re: "Far-Off Planets Like the Earth Dot the Galaxy" (11/5/2013)