3 ms·

Life is pretty good at adapting. If we did a lot of selective breeding and genetic manipulation ahead of time and then made a sustained effort to repeatedly see

Life is pretty good at adapting. If we did a lot of selective breeding and genetic manipulation ahead of time and then made a sustained effort to repeatedly seed the more temperate locations on Mars we might eventually see something survive. I do think it's a bit early for that stage of terraforming. We really should experiment with smashing asteroids into Mars to see if we can kick up enough CO2 to make a difference first. I also like the idea of repeatedly impacting a single crater in order to excavate a very deep and wide hole to trap atmospheric gasses and create enough pressure near the bottom for a more human friendly environment. It'd have the added benefit of depositing a bunch of metals and other elements in a convenient location where they could be mined and smelted.

ics 2y ago
I look forward to seeing The Moss in theaters several years from now. Opening scene is a beautiful valley which turns out to be Mars followed by two hours of seeing how it has spread, done some irreparable damage to the planet which requires intervention to save surrounding planets, all while the mutant gene continues wreaking havoc on unsuspecting scientists trying to study the issue. Killer weed from outer space. Spreads on metals which alters their material properties. Filters certain gases or creates localized atmospheric conditions which prevent the team of scientists, and maybe frontier communities, from escaping the planet while their other resources get taken over by the moss... there's a lot of shlock possible here.
- iwontberude 2y ago
  Why not just remake andromeda strain
  - dylan604 2y ago
    they did in 2008. how many times does it need to be remade?
    - iwontberude 2y ago
      Oof, whoops.
- skhr0680 2y ago
  Creepshow?
- dylan604 2y ago
  I'd expect it to be more like "Life - 2017" where we think we can be smart and manipulate something in a "controlled" environment only to have the hubris bite us in the ass.
renegade-otter 2y ago
"Surviving" is different from "thriving". The Universe in general seems to be very, very hostile to life.
- Retric 2y ago
  As long as it can reproduce you still get exponential growth.
jajko 2y ago
1 mistake, incorrect assumption or missing data and we will mess up the only planet in solar system at least theoretically ok for terraforming atrempts, even if not ideal. If we should seed planet (and we shouldnt at this point, we are still pretty much clueless in so many things), at least with something that produces O2. But we shouldnt anyway, 1 bad mutation and we will have maybe cyanide or trifluorides in atmosphere instead on top of current challenges.
ZeoVII 2y ago
I´m not an expert, but, I remember reading somewhere that Mars does not have enough gravity to support an atmosphere suitable for humans, most water molecules can evaporate "into space". Due to Mars lower gravity 3.71 m/s^2 (roughly 38% of earth´s), its more feasible for "normal" molecules to achieve escape velocity and thus bleed into space....
- hparadiz 2y ago
  Mars bleeds atmosphere in millions of years timescales. Not enough to effect it in human life time scales.
  - idiotsecant 2y ago
    It matters a lot of it bleeds off faster than you can reasonably replenish it.

ics 2y ago

I look forward to seeing The Moss in theaters several years from now. Opening scene is a beautiful valley which turns out to be Mars followed by two hours of seeing how it has spread, done some irreparable damage to the planet which requires intervention to save surrounding planets, all while the mutant gene continues wreaking havoc on unsuspecting scientists trying to study the issue. Killer weed from outer space. Spreads on metals which alters their material properties. Filters certain gases or creates localized atmospheric conditions which prevent the team of scientists, and maybe frontier communities, from escaping the planet while their other resources get taken over by the moss... there's a lot of shlock possible here.

iwontberude 2y ago
Why not just remake andromeda strain
- dylan604 2y ago
  they did in 2008. how many times does it need to be remade?
  - iwontberude 2y ago
    Oof, whoops.
skhr0680 2y ago
Creepshow?
dylan604 2y ago
I'd expect it to be more like "Life - 2017" where we think we can be smart and manipulate something in a "controlled" environment only to have the hubris bite us in the ass.

renegade-otter 2y ago

"Surviving" is different from "thriving". The Universe in general seems to be very, very hostile to life.

Retric 2y ago
As long as it can reproduce you still get exponential growth.

jajko 2y ago

1 mistake, incorrect assumption or missing data and we will mess up the only planet in solar system at least theoretically ok for terraforming atrempts, even if not ideal. If we should seed planet (and we shouldnt at this point, we are still pretty much clueless in so many things), at least with something that produces O2. But we shouldnt anyway, 1 bad mutation and we will have maybe cyanide or trifluorides in atmosphere instead on top of current challenges.

ZeoVII 2y ago

I´m not an expert, but, I remember reading somewhere that Mars does not have enough gravity to support an atmosphere suitable for humans, most water molecules can evaporate "into space". Due to Mars lower gravity 3.71 m/s^2 (roughly 38% of earth´s), its more feasible for "normal" molecules to achieve escape velocity and thus bleed into space....

hparadiz 2y ago
Mars bleeds atmosphere in millions of years timescales. Not enough to effect it in human life time scales.
- idiotsecant 2y ago
  It matters a lot of it bleeds off faster than you can reasonably replenish it.