Terraform Humans First, Then Mars? 480
An anonymous reader writes "Related to the future of Mars, NASA released the transcript of an expert panel which debated terraforming the red planet. Planetary scientists including NASA's Planetary Protection Officer, John Rummel, and science fiction writers (Kim Robinson, Arthur C. Clarke, and Greg Bear) chimed in. When asked if Mars should be transformed to a place where humans could walk without life support suits ("naked"), Sir Clarke responded, "Perhaps we should ask the Martians first." Can it be done quickly-- or at all? Is terraforming ethical? If humans colonize, are the colonists on a one-way trip akin to exile?" Read on for a bit more.
"A consensus seemed to be that like waking a sleeping giant, planet building seems possible if oxygen is not a requirement and some microbial life is dormant underground. But the question of making a planet suitable for plants alone seems to span tens of thousands of years. The remaining science fiction notion was terraforming humans, instead of planets, and making us survive on what is now a very alien world."
Suggestion... (Score:5, Funny)
Solved. (Score:4, Funny)
I already have a large device called "Genesis" that can terraform a planet in mere days.
first start with a magnosphere (Score:2, Funny)
2. Atmosphere
3. h2o
4. ???
5 Profit
What? (Score:2, Funny)
Let's teraform Earth first! (Score:1, Funny)
The sure would change trips to the beach. "Hey Jim, check out that naked chick over there. Man, she would look hot in a bikini!"
But we're not done with Venusforming Earth.... (Score:4, Funny)
I'm sure we can figure out some capitalist-distributed scheme that Wall Street loves while changing the atmosphere of Mars as we've done here (deforestation, carbon-based energy industry, too many cow farts, etc.). Of course, the real question is how long will the Mars atmosphere be breathable by "naked" humans before it's unbreathable again thanks to the top-selling 2050 Ford Evacuate super-SUV......
Easy enough... (Score:2, Funny)
There is a word (Score:5, Funny)
Re:the toughest bit (Score:3, Funny)
Re:ET, is that you? (Score:5, Funny)
Finally! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:first start with a magnosphere (Score:1, Funny)
2. Atmosphere
3. h2o
4. populate [hotbot.com]
5. Profit
MOD PARENT UP! (Score:1, Funny)
"At that point, the big problem with Mars is the lack of a strong magnetic field, which makes it difficult to retain water vapor in the martian atmopshere. This is a problem now but it gets worse as the level of solar radiation striking Mars goes up."
More info for those who are wondering: Mars had water from about 3.9 to 3.0 billion years ago (which was recently confirmed by MER-A, MER-B, and Mars Express). At about 3.0 billion years ago Mars' magnetic field collapsed (generally attributed to the faster cooling rate of a smaller planet like Mars compared to the Earth--while Mars is theoretically differentiated, the key temperatures and pressures for the melting point of iron in the core which is required for a magnetic dynamo have slid towards solid). The collapse allowed the solar wind to strip the atmosphere of gases which is why it now only is about 1% of the pressure of our atmosphere.
Re:Nope (Score:2, Funny)
Neither did southern California. You need to have a little more faith in the ingenuity of unabashed greed.
Zubrin has it all wrong (Score:1, Funny)
Re:ET, is that you? (Score:2, Funny)
Oh never mind.
We are helping the earth reproduce! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:To churn out CO2 (Score:3, Funny)
So, let just do it! C'mon - it'll be fun!
But... it'd be easier to do on the Moon and the manufactured products would be closer to Earth. Plus the Moon is stone cold dead and it's got more sunlight for solar energy (if you're into that tree-hugging hippy crap) to run your factories (just burning the organic molecules is a bit of a waste). And we'd be able to see the show without telescopes.
So, everybody's in agreement then - we blow up the Moon.
Re:Solved. (Score:3, Funny)
Mars Freaks are coming! And they are us. (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Oxygen requirements = yes, Pressure = no. (Score:1, Funny)
I have been scuba diving in mercury recently so you'll understand my simple mistake.