Recently, I saw a very interesting movie called Europa Report.  The astronomers among us will know that Europa is one of the principal moons of Jupiter, known to us since the days of the Scientific Revolution.  As the movie's story unfolds, we learn that a group of astronauts is traveling to Europa, commissioned to conduct a series of experiments to determine whether this moon is indeed suitable for life.  Previous observations had given researchers strong reason to think that it was.  After a journey of nearly a year, this group of astronauts was about to find out.
     Unfortunately, once the expedition lands, one by one, for various reasons, its members encounter situations resulting in their death.  One falls through the ice that covers the moon's surface; one accidentally spills a lethal substance on his space suit and is barred from reentering the ship for fear he would contaminate its ventilation systems (he is left to drift into space, quickly succumbing to the loss of oxygen, saying that, "I thought I was doing a great thing, but now . . . ." as he died); one dies of disease; another perishes when trying to stop the ship from crashing following an aborted take-off. Eventually, only two are left.
     As one of these two, a woman, recounts what happened next, she constantly returns to the phrase, "Compared to the knowledge yet to be known, what does your life matter?"
     In the final frames of the movie, we see that everything we have seen to this point is merely a recording of what has happened.  In fact, not one person on the expedition survives.  We are only left with a video.  In the final frame of the video, however, we are treated to a startling sight:  as the landing craft sinks inexorably through the ice and water rushes in, a massive octopus like creature appears, its tentacles aiming for the woman.  Life indeed exists on Europa.
     So does the person who administered the expedition remark, "This [image] will forever change the context in which humanity understands itself."
     Maybe so.  Pondering the fact of life is always a risky game.  Yet it's here, and we must deal with it.  The deeper--and darker--question then becomes this:  how do we understand that which we do not understand in the first place?
     In an opaque and impersonal universe, humanity's road is endless.