The discovery of planet Gilese 581g opens up some interesting statistics. It is twenty light years from earth - meaning that if we ever manage to attain the speed of light it would take us twenty years to get there. By contrast - it would take us just eight and a half minutes to get from earth to the sun if we travelled at that speed.
So - what are the prospects of earth people achieving the speed of light in their travel ?
Over two centuries ago the fastest any human had travelled was on the back of a galloping horse. Then the invention of the steam engine ushered in rail transport - and after that the internal combustion engine ushered in the automobile.
Early last century the Wright brothers took to the air - and just after the second world war rocket power enabled us to leave this planet for the first time. We now regularly reach incredible speeds to visit our orbiting space station.
None of this comes anywhere near travel at the speed of light - but judging by the progress we have made over recent centuries - there is hope for the future.
But - a word of warning. Think long and hard if approached by a real estate salesperson touting the opportunity to buy a site for a weekender on Gilese 581g.
Even at the speed of light it is a long commute - and compared to earth's year long orbit that planet's year lasts just thirty seven days.
Not exactly a " long weekend " !
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