Bob Cramer's Blog

A recent NY Times story says there may be 40 billion habitable Earth-size planets in the galaxy.  Yes, that’s 40 billion, each represented like individual dollars floating weightlessly around in Warren Buffett’s vast bank account.  The planets, supported by sun-like stars that keeps surface temperatures in the Goldilocks zone—not too hot, not too cold–should be compatible with liquid water and therefore capable of sustaining human life, according to the report. Just imagine, out of these 40 billion planets, you would think a dozen or so might have inhabitants of some sort and represent the ultimate growth market.

In that context, I was thinking about Atlanta, it’s Fortune 500 companies, technology community and political leaders.  For example, Delta could “keep climbing” right out of our solar system, offering flights to new planets and set up complicated intra-planet connecting flights that finally don’t require an ATL layover. We would need to expand the downtown Coke museum to include new flavors sold in new worlds. UPS with their love of logistics could probably figure out how to guarantee your package delivery by 10:30AM, universally. Heck, even the growing Atlanta tech scene could participate with GA Tech’s breakthrough online engineering program giving new meaning to distance learning and startups residing at David Cummings’ Atlanta Tech Village (ATV) literally shooting for the stars.

Re-elected but with global ambition, Atlanta Mayor Reed might eventually want to become Ambassador to the United Planets, the successor to the United Nations.  And as they are apt to do, our state and local political leaders might get supporters to send them on even more “out of this world” junkets.  Atlanta, which has finally gotten on the world stage, will need to reformulate its strategy to earn its rightful place in the expanding universe.  The Metro Chamber better put on a new pot of coffee.

Wall Street might also need to adjust.  Market opportunity takes on a whole new meaning. Foreign markets are really foreign knowing it will take a minimum of 12 light years just to reach them.  Bitcoin is expected to become the new universal currency but I wonder even if their creators anticipated interplanetary expansion.  Elon Musk, with his vast portfolio companies that include SpaceX, Hyperloop, Solar City and Tesla, may become our country’s go-to guy, and I foresee him doing a leverage buy out of NASA in return for helping fix healthcare.gov.

According to the article, none of the 40 billion planets cited are exactly Earth’s twin—“Earth 2.0 in the argot”, whatever that means.  So I guess the reality of little earth-like people roaming around malls and stuck in traffic might be a little out there.  But it sure is fun to think about, with so much potential commerce just sitting there in the night sky.