4 ms·

This plan to spread organisms is criminal. It's insane, dangerous, should be blocked. We haven't even decided if we should do this in our own solar system, it's

by rnk 4y ago

This plan to spread organisms is criminal. It's insane, dangerous, should be blocked. We haven't even decided if we should do this in our own solar system, it's extremely controversial just going to Mars or other planets with only our earthly life known - we could impact life, including microbes on Mars, Europa or wherever it may be. Spreading living organisms far beyond our solar system is clearly a bad idea at this stage of development and knowledge. We could easily destroy other ecosystems. Imagine how we'd feel if the opposite happened. Of course anyone who pays attention knows that we have discovered all the precursors of life, the 4 genetic bases (one of them is different between rna and dna so there are kind of 5 but they found that 5th one too) - we've already detected them in space, which is amazing in itself. It's extremely likely there will be other places in the universe, almost certain based on the number of galaxies and stars, that other planets have life on them. We can't just dump a bunch of developed microbes there that might have unknown effects.

MockObject 4y ago
It's not obvious what ethics means outside the biosphere. By default, the biospheres exist in a state of nature with respect to each other.
- rnk 4y ago
  I thought a lot about your comment. It's a very interesting comment. I think we should strive to leave alien life alone - it doesn't matter whether they are in our eco-system or off planet. Life should be allowed to be. It also helps us when someone comes here, but the reverse applies too. I think in a few years we'll find some kinds of microbes on mars or other bodies. If nothing else they came from earth, floating around, but more probably they are created everywhere naturally by dna molecules just randomly combining. Anyway, when we find life on mars, or Europe or where-ever, should we not allow people to send earth based microbes to do things. We could send lichen to mars to start growing, maybe it would survive and it might kill native microbes. Is that okay? I think it's not but it's pretty complicated and maybe inevitable. Also I think with meteors hitting mars they are probably knocking bits of dust into the air and eventually they hit here. Same for earth to mars but our atmosphere blocks them.

by rnk 4y ago

MockObject 4y ago

It's not obvious what ethics means outside the biosphere. By default, the biospheres exist in a state of nature with respect to each other.

rnk 4y ago
I thought a lot about your comment. It's a very interesting comment. I think we should strive to leave alien life alone - it doesn't matter whether they are in our eco-system or off planet. Life should be allowed to be. It also helps us when someone comes here, but the reverse applies too. I think in a few years we'll find some kinds of microbes on mars or other bodies. If nothing else they came from earth, floating around, but more probably they are created everywhere naturally by dna molecules just randomly combining. Anyway, when we find life on mars, or Europe or where-ever, should we not allow people to send earth based microbes to do things. We could send lichen to mars to start growing, maybe it would survive and it might kill native microbes. Is that okay? I think it's not but it's pretty complicated and maybe inevitable. Also I think with meteors hitting mars they are probably knocking bits of dust into the air and eventually they hit here. Same for earth to mars but our atmosphere blocks them.