3 ms·

So strange to read about hesitant scientists who are afraid to reach for the stars. Science is supposed to be bold, going where no person has gone before. The i

So strange to read about hesitant scientists who are afraid to reach for the stars. Science is supposed to be bold, going where no person has gone before. The ivory tower "scientists" are just not really scientists anymore.

michaelmrose 3y ago
From the article and Musk's mouth > Musk has said that he believes Mars could be a “back-up drive” for humanity in the event of catastrophic global warming, an asteroid strike or a nuclear winter, and believes that the planet could be warmed by nuclear weapons. If a dinosaur killer fell on earth after nuclear Armageddon the ruins would be more habitable than Earth where we have massive resources to build a "back-up drive" People often fail to credit just how inhospitable Mars is or how difficult it is to actually make a fully self sustaining society that could sustain itself if Earth stopped sending resources. This doesn't mean we shouldn't strive it means we have to accept that if we don't succeed in more earthly endeavors we're going to fucking die. It is important that we don't overstate the utility of such "back-up" plans lest we undervalue the more immediate risks. > The ivory tower "scientists" are just not really scientists anymore. A scientist is someone who cares about proof. Outside of fiction lots of scientists are rather boring folks who spend decades on the minutia of their corner of their field. Both Musk a capitalist and the Astronomer are operating outside their fields however the former is a moron and the later is a realist. At least if you disagree on the public policy you and the astronomer could have a fact based discussion on the respective options.
croes 3y ago
Maybe he knows about the survival chances on Mars. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39796527 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39796527
Zigurd 3y ago
A "mars colony" is fantasy hucksterism. It's very different than space exploration. Sending humans to Mars and back would advance science and engineering. Since there is no Cold War "high ground" to be seized, the considerations are very different from Apollo. It has to be a chance worth taking, in terms of lives and money. It might be do-able soon-ish. Or it might not be. I'm content to wait until NASA can get astronauts back from Mars who are not an irradiated mess of brittle bones. This "backup drive" hogwash is meant to trick the gullible.

michaelmrose 3y ago

From the article and Musk's mouth > Musk has said that he believes Mars could be a “back-up drive” for humanity in the event of catastrophic global warming, an asteroid strike or a nuclear winter, and believes that the planet could be warmed by nuclear weapons. If a dinosaur killer fell on earth after nuclear Armageddon the ruins would be more habitable than Earth where we have massive resources to build a "back-up drive" People often fail to credit just how inhospitable Mars is or how difficult it is to actually make a fully self sustaining society that could sustain itself if Earth stopped sending resources. This doesn't mean we shouldn't strive it means we have to accept that if we don't succeed in more earthly endeavors we're going to fucking die. It is important that we don't overstate the utility of such "back-up" plans lest we undervalue the more immediate risks. > The ivory tower "scientists" are just not really scientists anymore. A scientist is someone who cares about proof. Outside of fiction lots of scientists are rather boring folks who spend decades on the minutia of their corner of their field. Both Musk a capitalist and the Astronomer are operating outside their fields however the former is a moron and the later is a realist. At least if you disagree on the public policy you and the astronomer could have a fact based discussion on the respective options.

croes 3y ago

Maybe he knows about the survival chances on Mars. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39796527 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39796527

Zigurd 3y ago

A "mars colony" is fantasy hucksterism. It's very different than space exploration. Sending humans to Mars and back would advance science and engineering. Since there is no Cold War "high ground" to be seized, the considerations are very different from Apollo. It has to be a chance worth taking, in terms of lives and money. It might be do-able soon-ish. Or it might not be. I'm content to wait until NASA can get astronauts back from Mars who are not an irradiated mess of brittle bones. This "backup drive" hogwash is meant to trick the gullible.