Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Moon Landing!

Today—July 20, 2009—marks the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The mission represents a significant milestone in human achievement and was watched live on television by millions of people around the world—another significant milestone. In the current pessimistic climate—where politicians and doomsaying demagogues regularly denigrate the power of human creativity—it is important to take stock of how far we have come in terms of social institutions, living standards, technology, and scientific understanding.