Nowhere have I said, nor do I believe, the line, "who cares if the
science is stupid." We have, as you note, taken great pains to try and
get the science right. But if you've been watching this discussion, you
have seen people with equal qualifications -- physics folks, space types
-- arguing over the sound in space issue. Indicating that it's not an
absolute issue. Is there sound within the atmospheric bubble of a ship
as it explodes and moves outward for a certain period of time? Many say
yes. And there's some disagreement on other areas.

So the reality of this is that there isn't a concensus, where
everybody agrees. I have 5 email notes from people who work in the space
program explaining how it might work. And just as many from people who
tell me how it *won't* work.

So as long as there is not absolute, definitive proof one way or the
other...one has to take a position one way or another...why not this way?
To my knowledge, no one has yet conducted an experiment in space one the
sound issue. Until then, it's guesswork, extrapolation, educated debate.
We try to take a position somewhere in the middle.

If there were nothing here to debate, no one here would be debating
it...especially not in the clinical, expert way many have so debated the
issue. If it's not a closed issue, resolved once and for all...then we
will keep the issue open dramatically as well.

jms