In reply to Mr Pink 2:
> (In reply to Route Adjuster)
> Now most weekends caver X goes across to the Dales to go caving, something which Caver X pushes himself quite hard at. Now say one weekend Caver X happens to come across some new passage. Now that would be quite remarkable! But anyway, Caver X has had to really push himself to the limit to get there.
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> Now compare this to landing on the moon, in both cases they've gone somewhere were nobody has been before, and it's at the limit of there endurance.
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> Now, which is the most extraordinary? I think I know.
They are both extraordinary in their own right. caver X's achievments are extraordinary to him (and other Cavers) due to the risks involved, the challenges overcome and the time / perseverance it will have taken to find the new passage. The moon landings were extraordinary in their own right, again due to the risks involved, the planning required and the technology needed to support the attempt.
In a few decades time Moon landings might be an everyday occurrence, the lunar space station will be a reality and Caver X's grandchildren will be finding new passages in the moons subterraenean network, making the previous claims of remarkable achievements seem irrelevant. However without either of the above, the latter may not be achieved.
Who was it that said their groundbreaking discoveries were due to "standing on the shoulders of Giants" Einstein or Newton? Ellen and Hinkes are doing just that, making every previous advance equally groundbreaking.