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Not only is it a profound and fundamental capability if we intend to live off-planet, it's basically the only relevant capacity, conceived broadly (how to manuf
by walleeee 5y ago
Not only is it a profound and fundamental capability if we intend to live off-planet, it's basically the only relevant capacity, conceived broadly (how to manufacture the means for indefinite survival given supplies of matter and energy). It's the universal constructor problem and our present solutions are fragile and primitive. There is virtually infinite room for improvement. How is that boring?
- visarga 5y agocould be useful in case of disasters, if we ever have to bunker up for a long time
- dougmwne 5y agoYou’ve got it right here. If life’s ultimate purpose is to grow, we have a whole solar system we can grow into. Once we solve growth on planet two, we will be vastly closer to other planets, moons, asteroids and habitats. There’s a whole lot of energy and materials right here at this star and a whole lot of real estate that doesn’t require an environmental impact statement. Per aspera ad astra.
- walleeee 5y agoregardless of questions of growth or ultimate purpose we need to be able to do this if we want to persist for any significant length of time in any habitat, planetary or otherwise a truly sustainable civilization can successfully manage its planetary (or ship- or station-borne) ecology and protect itself from threats with advanced technology equally well, and we are wildly immature in both capacities