4 ms·

The energy needed to move millions to a different planet is enormous with current physics. So, until you solve that, the obsession with Earth is not toxic, it's

The energy needed to move millions to a different planet is enormous with current physics. So, until you solve that, the obsession with Earth is not toxic, it's realistic.

TeMPOraL 4y ago
It's not enormous, it's just significant compared to our current production/use, but here's the good news: there's more than enough energy for that available off planet. There's absurd amounts of energy available everywhere around us. Consider: it seems that we should be able to support a technological civilization of billions of people on renewable energy alone. That means literally on a fraction of the sunlight that Earth captures. Now, Sun isn't focusing on Earth, it's an omnidirectional emitter. Which means there's some 74 000 times more energy than Earth is receiving from the Sun available just in Earth's orbital band alone. Fortunately, space-related energy problems seem like they'll be solving themselves, in lock step with increased space capabilities.
jodrellblank 4y ago
The Sun radiates about 400 trillion trillion Watts in all directions, and only a couple of billionths of it crosses Earth. There's a lot more radiant energy spreading out into the void waiting to be Dyson Swarmed. There's no way we're going to rocket launch billions to Mars, and there isn't another planet worth living on without unreasonable amounts of energy for Terraforming. But we are capable of rebuilding the atoms of Earth into much larger living environments - there are so many atoms it wouldn't mean destroying the Earth to do it. A Space Elevator doesn't need diamond nanowire, it could be built with enough steel chain. An orbital ring around the Equator would be enormous and would take approximately nothing of the Earth's matter to construct. Isaac Arthur's YouTube channel is full of speculation and plans for all kinds of possible or nearly-possible futures, as well as more distant dreams. e.g. the playlists: - "The future of Energy, Industry and Agriculture" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChTJHEdf6yM&list=PLIIOUpOge0LuntVwrflGX6q94zC3s5TXj https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChTJHEdf6yM&list=PLIIOUpOge0... - "Earth v2.0" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6mRjsxQQJE&list=PLIIOUpOge0Lv9Y_4Vmcgaxue0jyZG3_4K https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6mRjsxQQJE&list=PLIIOUpOge0... - "Outward Bound" - near-Earth space exploration and living - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmFOBoy2MZ8&list=PLIIOUpOge0LsIzYlIAIRdAGJTqAW6FmCE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmFOBoy2MZ8&list=PLIIOUpOge0... - "Visions of Earth" - arcologies, megacities, ecumenopolises, geoengineering, weather control - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqKQ94DtS54&list=PLIIOUpOge0Ls94qU9ZgTy3A-PbmRKKbV4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqKQ94DtS54&list=PLIIOUpOge0... And somewhere in there, megastructures such as Dyson Spheres, ringworlds, etc.

The energy needed to move millions to a different planet is enormous with current physics. So, until you solve that, the obsession with Earth is not toxic, it's realistic.

TeMPOraL 4y ago

It's not enormous, it's just significant compared to our current production/use, but here's the good news: there's more than enough energy for that available off planet. There's absurd amounts of energy available everywhere around us. Consider: it seems that we should be able to support a technological civilization of billions of people on renewable energy alone. That means literally on a fraction of the sunlight that Earth captures. Now, Sun isn't focusing on Earth, it's an omnidirectional emitter. Which means there's some 74 000 times more energy than Earth is receiving from the Sun available just in Earth's orbital band alone. Fortunately, space-related energy problems seem like they'll be solving themselves, in lock step with increased space capabilities.

jodrellblank 4y ago

The Sun radiates about 400 trillion trillion Watts in all directions, and only a couple of billionths of it crosses Earth. There's a lot more radiant energy spreading out into the void waiting to be Dyson Swarmed. There's no way we're going to rocket launch billions to Mars, and there isn't another planet worth living on without unreasonable amounts of energy for Terraforming. But we are capable of rebuilding the atoms of Earth into much larger living environments - there are so many atoms it wouldn't mean destroying the Earth to do it. A Space Elevator doesn't need diamond nanowire, it could be built with enough steel chain. An orbital ring around the Equator would be enormous and would take approximately nothing of the Earth's matter to construct. Isaac Arthur's YouTube channel is full of speculation and plans for all kinds of possible or nearly-possible futures, as well as more distant dreams. e.g. the playlists: - "The future of Energy, Industry and Agriculture" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChTJHEdf6yM&list=PLIIOUpOge0LuntVwrflGX6q94zC3s5TXj https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChTJHEdf6yM&list=PLIIOUpOge0... - "Earth v2.0" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6mRjsxQQJE&list=PLIIOUpOge0Lv9Y_4Vmcgaxue0jyZG3_4K https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6mRjsxQQJE&list=PLIIOUpOge0... - "Outward Bound" - near-Earth space exploration and living - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmFOBoy2MZ8&list=PLIIOUpOge0LsIzYlIAIRdAGJTqAW6FmCE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmFOBoy2MZ8&list=PLIIOUpOge0... - "Visions of Earth" - arcologies, megacities, ecumenopolises, geoengineering, weather control - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqKQ94DtS54&list=PLIIOUpOge0Ls94qU9ZgTy3A-PbmRKKbV4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqKQ94DtS54&list=PLIIOUpOge0... And somewhere in there, megastructures such as Dyson Spheres, ringworlds, etc.