It may be possible to get much higher resolution images of exoplanets in the not too distant future by taking advantage of gravitational lensing and our own sun [1]. There are a few related advancements required before we can do that, although the thought that it could happen in our lifetimes is really exciting.
Super interesting - thanks for sharing! Glad to hear that there is so much momentum pushing this forward. I'm with the presenter: I desperately want this to happen in my.. I mean our.. lifetimes.
Ever since reading about this I have wondered if alien civilizations have been watching Earth in HD for millions of years, from thousands of lightyears away. Are they watching the Romans sail and fight wars now? Will they see nukes go off in a couple thousand years?
Even better, is it predictable that by a few thousand years ago we would probably be getting to space about now? Does this actually give credibility to the idea that aliens may visit and watch us from up close now? Perhaps there are probes arriving now-ish that were dispatched thousands of years ago.
[1] https://news.stanford.edu/press-releases/2022/05/02/gravity-...