Our recent understandings:
1. That life is exceedingly rare in the universe and intelligent life, so rare, it may not exist anywhere else.
2. That all life on earth is ultimately destined to become annihilated.
3. That humans are developing the ability to radically re-engineer life
4. That humans are beginning to venture into space
when taken together, suggest a key role which humans can play in the ultimate survival of life and intelligence.