Daniel L. Leonard
Latest Articles
The Illogical Case for Space
I urge my fellow space enthusiasts to recognize that our passion is not shared by everyone; in response, we should always be looking for cheaper and more efficient ways to carry out the big goals that we would love to see accomplished.
One Giant Beep for Mankind
Humans will need to play a backseat role to machines in the coming decades of space exploration. If we want to advance science as safely, cheaply, and efficiently as possible, it’s time that we welcome our new robot overlords.
In Case of Emergency, Go Up
Global crises like the coronavirus pandemic remind us of the frailty of our species, and the threat of human extinction could outweigh the numerous costs of a Martian settlement.
Forced Rivalries
For all the fun we can have at the Space Force’s expense, it’s important to recognize that its creation was a truly bad idea, for a number of reasons.
Tiny Worlds of Untapped Potential
The prospect of asteroid mining offers a turning point for how humanity interacts with the natural universe.
Dissent: We Shouldn’t Stop Listening — The Case for Prison Divestment
Arguing that the conditions in prison prisons do not reach the standard of degrading human life or harming the systematically disadvantaged is illogical and facetious.
If You Want To Go Far, Go Together
Is this expansion of private control over space travel something we should worry about?
Dear Elon: There Is No Planet B
There is no Planet B. This fact shouldn’t scare us; instead, it should make us cherish our home on Planet A.
With Space Travel, Fiction is More Exciting than Fact
I encourage my fellow space enthusiasts — I know there are many at Harvard — to be patient. If it takes 50 more years to reach another planet, that’s okay. In the meantime, we can always watch “Star Trek.”
Why is Academic Writing so Confusing?
If the purpose of academic writing is to clearly communicate one’s ideas and research to the reader, then writing that is difficult to understand is bad writing. Period.