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To cut to the chase we should ignore these concerns and begin plans for terraforming Mars. If you really want to go through the ins and outs of why this is the
by iandanforth 11y ago
To cut to the chase we should ignore these concerns and begin plans for terraforming Mars. If you really want to go through the ins and outs of why this is the end-game, please read Red/Green/Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson.
- Tiktaalik 11y agoThat is a funny piece of fiction to cite as why we should ignore these concerns, considering that a major source of conflict in the series are the "Reds" that oppose the terraformers, and kill many in their actions to preserve Mars as is.
- mc32 11y agoSometimes I think we should just let the Russians or Chinese take over planetary exploration. I'm not sure what it is about Europeans and Americans where we want to preserve things. If we're going to colonize Mars, contamination will happen, no question. Maybe we'll eradicate everything unique to the planet, but it's inevitable. If we are going to survive as a species, we'll need peoples who are willing to push forth without pussyfooting. Sure, it's nice of you want to study pristine environments but I don't think you can maintain the environment pristine once you have humans there in any way.
- pmontra 11y agoMy take: the Grand Tour ending into Italy, the Roman ruins and the resulting cult of ancient stuff as time delivered them to us. That's why it's anathema in the western world to even think about restoring the Colosseum to its original form (I'd love to hear its architect about it) or painting the Greek statues with their original colors http://io9.com/5616498/ultraviolet-light-reveals-how-ancient-greek-statues-really-looked http://io9.com/5616498/ultraviolet-light-reveals-how-ancient...
- zamalek 11y agoWhat does Kim say about the inactive core? We'd have to continuously compete with solar wind blowing our terraforming efforts away.
- twic 11y agoEven Kim Stanley Robinson says it's not going to work like that: http://io9.com/kim-stanley-robinson-says-colonizing-mars-wont-be-as-ea-1691315529 http://io9.com/kim-stanley-robinson-says-colonizing-mars-won...
- iandanforth 11y agoI bought into the economics more than the specific methods of terraforming, but I hadn't heard those second two points. Thanks for the link!