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I actually think we've basically reached agreement. All your dashed items are higher on my priority list as well, and much more. I want to see Mars terraformed

by feoren 3y ago

I actually think we've basically reached agreement. All your dashed items are higher on my priority list as well, and much more. I want to see Mars terraformed in the next few hundred years, which starts with learning how to terraform Earth (a rather immediate need, in fact!). Sending humans to live on Mars makes terraforming it harder, not easier, since now we can't just chuck ice comets at it without endangering lives. I still firmly believe that we could set up human habitats in 10 years, but I totally agree that we should not. >> We send pre-emptive missions to set things up (dig holes, set up solar panels, gather basic resources) > Good, then show me that the robots can do that, under the conditions pointed out above. For your consideration (I have no idea on the merits of this company, but I see it on this site every once in a while): https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/charge-robotics https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/charge-robotics

usrbinbash 3y ago
> I actually think we've basically reached agreement. Yes, I do think so too, and thanks for the discussion, I enjoyed it alot! > I want to see Mars terraformed in the next few hundred years I think it will be a few centuries until we have the technology to do that, and then carrying out the task will probably take further centuries, but I do think it is a worthwhile goal to work towards. However, if I were looking for a first terraforming target, I would recommend Venus instead. Reasons being, the planets gravity (which we cannot do anything about barring some serious SciFi-esque breakthroughts in physics) is much closer to Earths (~0.9g), energy may be easier to come by due to it's proximity to the sun, and while its magnetic field is weak, it is still stronger than that on Mars. > which starts with learning how to terraform Earth Luckily, that is surprisingly easy. The biosphere is self regulating, so if Humanity manages to pull itself together and stop actively ruining it, it can undo the damage caused so far. Nature will do so anyway, eventually, the question our species has to answer is if we still want to exist by that point or not.

by feoren 3y ago

usrbinbash 3y ago

> I actually think we've basically reached agreement. Yes, I do think so too, and thanks for the discussion, I enjoyed it alot! > I want to see Mars terraformed in the next few hundred years I think it will be a few centuries until we have the technology to do that, and then carrying out the task will probably take further centuries, but I do think it is a worthwhile goal to work towards. However, if I were looking for a first terraforming target, I would recommend Venus instead. Reasons being, the planets gravity (which we cannot do anything about barring some serious SciFi-esque breakthroughts in physics) is much closer to Earths (~0.9g), energy may be easier to come by due to it's proximity to the sun, and while its magnetic field is weak, it is still stronger than that on Mars. > which starts with learning how to terraform Earth Luckily, that is surprisingly easy. The biosphere is self regulating, so if Humanity manages to pull itself together and stop actively ruining it, it can undo the damage caused so far. Nature will do so anyway, eventually, the question our species has to answer is if we still want to exist by that point or not.