why do people have this innate ability to underestimate what we might be capable of?

Because we can see what we’re currently capable of in terms of climate change, and the outlook is pretty bleak

why do you think its impossible for us to become masters of our own genome?

Because even in the best case scenario, this is dangerously close to eugenics

not getting off this rock means our species is doomed regardless of how ‘perfect’ we keep earth.

If we can’t keep earth livable, an entire self-regulating planet that’s been livable for hundreds of millions or billions of years, what are our chances of keeping anywhere else livable?