Re: Space Monkeys
Actually, our planet is NOT perfectly suited for us. Indeed, it is trying its level best to kill us. Go read Jared Diamond's "Collapse", and realise that the entire planet is just seething with megaearthquakes, supervolcanos, etc. that are just ITCHING to do their thing - and that isn't even counting the incoming missiles from space. The fact that they have been quiet during the very, very brief period of human existence means NOTHING. Yellowstone WILL blow again, with all the force of several atomic arsenals. Those shifting tectonic plates WILL create huge tsunamis and drop pieces of civilisation into the sea.
Now, it may be that we are better off figuring out how to live on a planet that is uninhabitable - underground living, giant domes, etc. That may be much easier than space travel.
But in my mind, there is simply no getting around it - we have to STOP BEING HUMAN. Human evolution has come almost as far as it can go, and it will not survive on this planet forever. Arthur C. Clarke posited intelligences that "had encoded the fabric of their beings into space and time" in '2001', and that would be the ultimate goal. But in the meantime, it probably involves getting rid of flesh and bones, firstly by using mere metal and plastic machines. But maybe ultimately, we have the option of doing even more clever tricks with biology, things beyond our comprehension. But one thing is for certain, it will not be mankind as we know it that will be here in 1000 years...