Werner Herzog On Asteroids, Star Wars, and the 'Obscenity' of a City On Mars (inverse.com) 152
78-year-old filmmaker Werner Herzog shared some interesting thoughts before the release of his new documentary on asteroids, Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds now available on Apple TV+.
From Herzog's new interview with the science site inverse: Herzog tells Inverse he's less concerned than ever that a meteorite will destroy the Earth, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't still be worried about our own extinction. "It may be 100 million years to go until then," Herzog says, before adding, "within the next thousand years, we may have done such stupid things that we are not around anymore to contemplate it...."
There's a theory that all life on Earth came from a meteorite. Do you think that's possible...?
[I]f you expand the question, it wouldn't surprise me if we found life somewhere outside of our solar system, or even within our solar system, because we share the same chemistry with the universe. We share the same physics with the universe. And we share the same history with the universe. So with trillions and trillions and trillions of stars out there, it's highly likely that somewhere there are some forms of life. Probably not as good and interesting as in movies. We can be pretty certain there are no creatures out there like in Star Wars...
Have you heard the theory that we're living inside a simulation?
Yes, but I don't buy it. Because when I kick a soccer ball from the penalty spot, I know this is for real. If the goalie saves it, oh shit, this is for real.
He also discusses the 1998 asteroid disaster film Deep Impact and his own appearance on Rick and Morty, as well as part on The Mandalorian — and the experience of watching its premiere with 1,000 hardcore Star Wars fans. ("It was unbelievable. The first credit appears and there's a shout of joy that you cannot describe... It's evident Star Wars is a new mythology for our times, whether you like it or not.")
But though Herzog's films "often feature ambitious protagonists with impossible dreams, people with unique talents in obscure fields, or individuals who are in conflict with nature," according to Wikipedia, Herzog insists to Inverse that Elon Musk's plan to build a city on Mars is a "mistake."
In a blistering criticism, Herzog describes the idea as "an obscenity," and says humans should "not be like the locusts...."
Herzog is not opposed to going to Mars at all. In fact, the German filmmaker would "love to go [to Mars] with a camera with scientists." But the long-term vision of a Mars city is a "mistake." Herzog's main concern is that humanity should "rather look to keep our planet habitable," instead of trying to colonize another one.
In short, Mars is not a livable place. There is no liquid water at the surface, or air to breathe. Solar wind means inhabitants would be "fried like in a microwave," Herzog says.
From Herzog's new interview with the science site inverse: Herzog tells Inverse he's less concerned than ever that a meteorite will destroy the Earth, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't still be worried about our own extinction. "It may be 100 million years to go until then," Herzog says, before adding, "within the next thousand years, we may have done such stupid things that we are not around anymore to contemplate it...."
There's a theory that all life on Earth came from a meteorite. Do you think that's possible...?
[I]f you expand the question, it wouldn't surprise me if we found life somewhere outside of our solar system, or even within our solar system, because we share the same chemistry with the universe. We share the same physics with the universe. And we share the same history with the universe. So with trillions and trillions and trillions of stars out there, it's highly likely that somewhere there are some forms of life. Probably not as good and interesting as in movies. We can be pretty certain there are no creatures out there like in Star Wars...
Have you heard the theory that we're living inside a simulation?
Yes, but I don't buy it. Because when I kick a soccer ball from the penalty spot, I know this is for real. If the goalie saves it, oh shit, this is for real.
He also discusses the 1998 asteroid disaster film Deep Impact and his own appearance on Rick and Morty, as well as part on The Mandalorian — and the experience of watching its premiere with 1,000 hardcore Star Wars fans. ("It was unbelievable. The first credit appears and there's a shout of joy that you cannot describe... It's evident Star Wars is a new mythology for our times, whether you like it or not.")
But though Herzog's films "often feature ambitious protagonists with impossible dreams, people with unique talents in obscure fields, or individuals who are in conflict with nature," according to Wikipedia, Herzog insists to Inverse that Elon Musk's plan to build a city on Mars is a "mistake."
In a blistering criticism, Herzog describes the idea as "an obscenity," and says humans should "not be like the locusts...."
Herzog is not opposed to going to Mars at all. In fact, the German filmmaker would "love to go [to Mars] with a camera with scientists." But the long-term vision of a Mars city is a "mistake." Herzog's main concern is that humanity should "rather look to keep our planet habitable," instead of trying to colonize another one.
In short, Mars is not a livable place. There is no liquid water at the surface, or air to breathe. Solar wind means inhabitants would be "fried like in a microwave," Herzog says.
Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:5, Insightful)
If you haven't seen his Nosferatu, you owe it to yourself to do so.
That said, I'm not sure why anyone should care about his thoughts regarding the origins of life.
Re:Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm not very into film, but I agree with you.
I tried to see if he had a background in science or engineering, but 30 seconds on Google didn't result in anything. I don't really understand why it makes sense to listen to someone that makes films about anything other than films. [nih.gov]
I typically call these "slow news day" stories.
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I tried to see if he had a background in science or engineering, but 30 seconds on Google didn't result in anything
That's an argument from authority. Your link is attacking the ideas of Tom Cruise's statements as factually incorrect and dangerous. What statement of Herzog about Mars is incorrect?
In short, Mars is not a livable place. There is no liquid water at the surface, or air to breathe. Solar wind means inhabitants would be "fried like in a microwave,"
All statements are factually of Mars.
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The thing is that nobody is saying that Mars is going to be easy.
Herzog, on the other hand, seems to think that Musk is a character from one of his films and somehow within his grasp to understand.
imo, Herzog is just demonstrating his limitations
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The thing is that nobody is saying that Mars is going to be easy.
Getting to Mars is difficult but doable.
Building a sustainable colony on Mars is not plausible with current tech.
SpaceX has a cargo-cult mentality that if they build a facsimile of a viable colony, but without any actual viability, that it will someone just magically work.
There is nothing that a Martian colony could produce to pay for the continuous stream of supplies and subsides from Earth. If a catastrophe hits Earth, the Martian colony will be stranded and perish.
Re:Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:5, Insightful)
You should really do some research into SpaceX before deciding what sort of cult they are
Cargo cults, fyi, were a result of primitive groups coming into contact with modern military forces during WW2, and then trying to pray for the planes to come back
I fail to see the connection
Anyhow, Elon's initial goal was to put a functioning greenhouse on Mars, and then somehow leverage that into getting larger governments involved.
Herzog (and you) seems to think that Elon is pretty one-dimensional, and that his goals for Mars involve leaving Earth to rot. Just reading the wiki page on Elon would show that he is pursuing a multi-pronged approach to stem off climate change on Earth by spearheading both Solar Energy and Electric Vehicle industries, while simultaneously creating a plan-b on Mars should Humans face extinction on Earth (due to climate change, killer asteroid, whatever)
And... since Elon thinks in more than one dimension, his rocketry adventure is creating a whole new revenue stream through launch services, NASA missions and Starlink...
So yea, billions of dollars, decades of effort is what Elon is calling for, but he is funding it through his success and there is a fairly good chance that he will succeed.
Are there strong forces against him? Yes
Is it a far reach that requires expanding capabilities? Yes
Why do you align so strongly with the naysayers? Getting lazy in your old age?
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So yea, billions of dollars, decades of effort is what Elon is calling for, but he is funding it through his success and there is a fairly good chance that he will succeed.
I fail to see how even billions will get Mars anywhere close to livable. It will be trillions and trillions over decades at best. Billions will get you a few temporary habitats on Mars. For example how do replicate the magnetic poles which keep life here on Earth from being irradiated from radiation.
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Build the majority of the colony infrastructure in pressurized tunnels and caverns. This has the bonus feature of temperature moderation too, allowing you to create a true shirtsleeves environment.
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Build the majority of the colony infrastructure in pressurized tunnels and caverns. This has the bonus feature of temperature moderation too, allowing you to create a true shirtsleeves environment.
And how will that make Mars actually livable? You are not transforming Mars. You are not terraforming Mars.
Re: Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:2)
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there is a fairly good chance that he will succeed.
There is a good chance that he will put people on Mars.
There is very little chance of a self-sustaining human colony. Not this century.
Getting lazy in your old age?
I have always been lazy.
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There is very little chance of a self-sustaining human colony. Not this century.
OK, we'd better not think about it or even dare to dream then.
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OK, we'd better not think about it or even dare to dream then.
Feel free to think and dream. You don't need my permission.
But don't confuse dreams with reality.
It is possible humans will walk on Mars within five years. It is likely they will do so in ten.
But a self-sustaining colony, independent of Earth? That is not possible with existing technology nor with any technology that is in the pipeline.
Will we eventually develop such technology? Yes, we likely will. But SpaceX's missions may not be the best path to that.
Re: Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:2)
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Why do you align so strongly with the naysayers? Getting lazy in your old age?
Na, he just has realized that he never will have the funds AND the guts for a trip around Moon or to Mars. So he is jealous.
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Re: Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:2)
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The only failure in Biosphere 2 was deciding to use organic soil instead of hydroponics.
The natural reactions in the soil worked to increase the CO2 levels to the point where they were toxic, this does not occur in their CURRENT research since it was taken over by the UofA
Current research [wikipedia.org]
There are many small-scale research projects at Biosphere 2, as well as several large-scale research projects including:
the Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO), a project which uses 1,800 sensors to monitor millions of po
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The only failure in Biosphere 2 was deciding to use organic soil instead of hydroponics.
OK, well let's see a Biosphere 3 experiment and test your hypothesis. Maybe that wasn't the only failure.
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TLDR, 2nd item in list of projects supported by UofA
>>the Lunar Greenhouse, a second prototype of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center which seeks to understand how to grow vegetables on the Moon or Mars by developing a bioregenerative life support system which recycles and purifies water through plant transpiration.
yw
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In short, Mars is not a livable place. There is no liquid water at the surface, or air to breathe. Solar wind means inhabitants would be "fried like in a microwave,"
All statements are factually of Mars.
Not that final one. Solar wind doesn't penetrate Mars' atmosphere; it won't fry you. Not like a microwave, nor otherwise.
He may be thinking of coronal mass ejections ("solar flares"), but even there, no, won't fry you like a microwave. And they can be dealt with: shield the habitat, and don't go outside if the sun is acting up.
Re:Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:5, Informative)
Not that final one. Solar wind doesn't penetrate Mars' atmosphere; it won't fry you. Not like a microwave, nor otherwise.
What he's talking about is the radiation on Mars [phys.org]. Mars has no protective magnetosphere.
Over the course of about 18 months, the Mars Odyssey probe detected ongoing radiation levels which are 2.5 times higher than what astronauts experience on the International Space Station – 22 millirads per day, which works out to 8000 millirads (8 rads) per year. . . .And while studies have shown that the human body can withstand a dose of up to 200 rads without permanent damage, prolonged exposure to the kinds of levels detected on Mars could lead to all kinds of health problems – like acute radiation sickness, increased risk of cancer, genetic damage, and even death.
This is a major obstacle to terraforming Mars. Even if humans could transform the atmosphere to be breathable, the radiation would kill most life.
He may be thinking of coronal mass ejections ("solar flares"), but even there, no, won't fry you like a microwave. And they can be dealt with: shield the habitat, and don't go outside if the sun is acting up.
Um. No. You can't go outside without shielding. Period. That means either spending the entire time underground. Or reheat the inner core of Mars. If you have a solution to NASA to do this, propose it.
Re: Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:2)
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Not that final one. Solar wind doesn't penetrate Mars' atmosphere; it won't fry you. Not like a microwave, nor otherwise.
What he's talking about is the radiation on Mars [phys.org]. Mars has no protective magnetosphere.
Correct. Not solar wind. What Herzog said was wrong.
Over the course of about 18 months, the Mars Odyssey probe detected ongoing radiation levels which are 2.5 times higher than what astronauts experience on the International Space Station – 22 millirads per day,
Right. But that's in orbit. The surface is some what less. You should look at the MARIE results on Curiosity for surface data.
which works out to 8000 millirads (8 rads) per year. . . .And while studies have shown that the human body can withstand a dose of up to 200 rads without permanent damage,
And thus: not frying you like a microwave. Which is what Herzog said. Wrong.
...
He may be thinking of coronal mass ejections ("solar flares"), but even there, no, won't fry you like a microwave. And they can be dealt with: shield the habitat, and don't go outside if the sun is acting up.
Um. No. You can't go outside without shielding.
You just quoted data saying that you can go outside.
That's just inductive reasoning (Score:3)
It would be a fallicious appeal to authority to cite Tiger Woods on relationships. Woods is an expert on golf, not relationships. Advertisers use this all the time when they have Michael Jordan promoting a car or whatever. He's an expert on basketball, not cars.
Inductive reasoning:
Education in a subject imparts knowledge of that subject.
When you want information about a subject, it is effective to ask someone who has knowledge of the subject.
Therefore, when you want information about a subject, it is effec
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It's a fallacy because appeal to authority slowed science down in Europe for 2000 years.
This isn't about a singular authority (Score:2)
The question here isn't whether science in general should put blind Faith in a singular authority vs conduct careful experiments. Given the opportunity to conduct appropriate experiments, someone should do so. (If such experiment hasn't already been done and replicated).
Putting blind faith in a singular authority and trusting them above actual experiment is the problem you are referring to.
The question here is not about a singular authority. What was questioned here is this:
If you're going to ask someone a
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Solar wind means inhabitants would be "fried like in a microwave"
All statements are factually of Mars.
Nope, they are not. The "microwave" statement is factually wrong.
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Because it is not microwave radiation? Aka: not electrormagnetic - aka not photons? If you are scared about microwaves, switch off your router and your phone at night.
Solar wind is helium or hydrogen "atoms"/ions, which don't make it through the atmosphere.
Re: Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:2)
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So, the astronauts who went to the moon and back were fried like in a microwave?
Shielding, learn about it.
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I've literally never heard of this guy, or a single one of the films in his discography.
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Then you are culturally poorer. You should remedy that immediately. I would start with AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD, HEARTS OF GLASS, or FITZCARRALDO.
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I love that movie. Could care less about don Lope de Aguirre unless he was a shortstop for the Cubs. Not everyone needs movies to be based on reality or have car crashes and explosions every minute.
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I've literally never heard of this guy, or a single one of the films in his discography.
That's not something to be proud of.
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Someone doesn't need a background in science to have an insightful opinion.
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Someone doesn't need a background in science to have an insightful opinion.
Perhaps. But there are billions of non-scientists. Should we pay attention to all of them?
Re: Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:2)
No, only those that are also able to make beautiful art...
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Re: Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:2)
I was being ridiculous, and attempting to be funny. My statement is an attempt to sarcastically illustrate that I don't believe that artistic ability necessarily has any connection to scientific ability, other than general creativity.
Re: Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:2)
They need a background in science to have anything useful to say about science. He is not remotely up to speed on Mars.
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That said, I'm not sure why anyone should care about his thoughts regarding the origins of life.
He seems to wonder that too, quoting him from the article:
"Well, I'm not a scientist. And so far, we do not have any evidence. We don't have any proof. I think it is highly unlikely that life was transported by a meteorite to our planet. Although we have found amino acids, on some meteorites, we even found sugar, but those are all the blocks of knowledge."
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I'm not sure why anyone should care about his thoughts regarding the origins of life.
Because everyones opinion about that matter has its own weight.
And that is especially true if it is an old and seasoned person.
Re:Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:4, Interesting)
I disagree. I would listen to Werner Herzog expound on any topic he chooses. There's something about his voice and his bleak existential outlook that I find hypnotizing. In fact, I really wish Major League Baseball would hire him to do color commentary on Cubs games even though I doubt he knows anything about baseball. I think Herzog should also be the new host of Jeopardy.
Here's Werner Herzog talking about chickens:
https://youtu.be/QhMo4WlBmGM [youtu.be]
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Hey, if they'd team Werner Herzog up with Bob Uecker - I'd switch to the Cubs. I've been a Seattle Mariners fan - nowhere near as much history as with the cubs, but I've certainly become quite inured to losing.
(I realize Uecker broadcasts for the Brewers, but he's something else)
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"That said, I'm not sure why anyone should care about his thoughts regarding the origins of life."
He wanted to kill Baby Yoda!
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His views seems to be pretty standard for an educated person with a reasonable grasp on reality... which I guess makes them notable these days.
Seriously though, the reason his views are notable is that people learn from experts in communication, not subject matter experts. Subject matter experts seldom have the skills to hold an audience's attention, to engage them in their subject. In particular scientists have that trained out of them. They're taught to communicate in terms so qualified, tentative, a
Re: Herzog's an amazing filmmaker (Score:2)
one point disagree (Score:5, Insightful)
Let's not be that species. If not mars, then the moon, or floating on Venus, or in the interior of that big metal asteroid out by Jupiter. Somewhere other than just here.
Re: one point disagree (Score:2)
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Well, the point is that we shouldn't be too focused on Mars. People want to go to Mars because it's cool and we haven't been there, yet. I'd imagine that building a Moon base would be infinitely more practical for learning more about how to do it properly and learning to cope with radiation and low gravity.
Elon wants to go to Mars because he's a salesman, and the Moon just isn't fashionable anymore. Scientifically, going to the Moon again is much more practical and should yield better research (if you can
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Exactly, there is nothing to gain presently from colonizing Mars or Venus. Better spent the resources on the planet that is still providing. For scientific research, yes, go ahead, make an outpost, like we have in Antarctica....which is yet to be colonized.
Re:one point disagree (Score:5, Insightful)
Good lord, I hope that you are not in charge of a company or responsible for the fates of anybody but yourself with that loser attitude.
Imagine if ANY tech company leader said, "Yeah, that's too hard, better play it safe with typewriters", or some such flaccid crap
fwiw, I heard a WHOLE lot about how it was better to spend money here on Earth and NOT waste it is space, while we were abandoning the Apollo program and play-tending that the shuttle was a real replacement.
And you know what, the money spent here on Earth hasn't been used for shit but to support the fossil fuel industries that are making a bid to turn Earth into Venus
So, fuck off with your lack of vision, fuck off with your penny-pinching lies and just make way for people who want a bright shiny future for humans
Re:one point disagree (Score:5, Interesting)
But imagine that we develop 1 or 2 more technological generations of robots. Think of the next Boston Dynamics building on top of the current models. Maybe 30 years from now. And, solar prices are dropping like a stone, so imagine 40 years from now we can cover a desert with solar cells and energy is a 100th of the current cost. Rocket fuel is practically free. And the re-useable rockets that Musk is developing have matured, and 30 more years of developing them, imagine what they could be like. A century from now, launching mass into orbit could be 1% of the cost it is now.
Now imagine that several modern economies get together and decide to spend a few trillion dollars setting up a colony on mars. You think I'm crazy? The US GDP is 20 trillion dollars. Put the US, Europe and China together and they could cough up a few trillion worth of resources and work per year and hardly even feel it. The only reason we won't right now is because we're all squabbling over (insert current tiny island of the week or current political figure here).
Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No. Definitely do-able. Massive underground facilities to deal with the radiation. The larger the closed-system, the more stable it will be. Solar and nuclear for the power, with energy storage provided by whatever comes next after Li-ion batteries. You may scoff that I'm pipe-dreaming, but think about how often tech gets replaced, upgraded by a better tech. 25 years ago Li-Ion didn't exist. Whatever it is, the next gen of batteries will put current Li-ion to shame.
Yeah, Venus mining might be difficult, but mining on Mars will look a ton like earth mining, except done by robots with specialized equipment. All the basic elements for a self-sustaining society are there. Water is there.
If you're focused on "I wanna know whats best for my checkbook RIGHT NOW" yeah you have no use for Mars. There aren't going to be any exports send back to Earch from that ball of mostly-rust. However, in 50-100 years, for a few trillion dollars, we'll probably be able to set up a mostly self-sustaining colony. As I said, this is beneficial to the species. Expanding to new territory. More people in more places, evolving to adapt to different living conditions. Insurance in case the Earthers decide to WWIII themselves out of existence. This is what the SMART species would do. Are we smart? I think that I am, but it sounds like you're not. A species full of small-minded people like you are happy to sit on their little rock until something beyond their control wanders by and shatters it, and then.... they're gone. I'd like my species to be different. Challenging doesn't mean pipe-dream. Well within our current understanding of science. The engineering isn't there, but could very well be in 100 years. Think of what our technology was like 100 years ago, and project 100 years in the future. It's plausible.
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I'm particularly amused by the "paper" someone linked here of a colony floating in the atmosphere of Venus and sending machinery to surface to mine. What idiocy, imagining boring into solidified lava with magical machines that could function at temperatures hotter than a brick pizza oven. Not happening, not possible.
That was probably me, I expect.
Just as a terminology note, the English word for "solidified lava" is "rock". (In Venus' case, probably basaltic rock, although that is still debated). Here's a link to a drill designed for Venus conditions, without using magic: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/vexag... [usra.edu]
You're correct about "hotter than a pizza oven", though.
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One thing at a time.
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there is no tech capable of mining, thermodynamics and limits of materials prohibit it
You say "thermodynamics" like you've actually presented some sort of theoretical proof of your claim.
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>His point is Mars is not even a "basket" to be considered, a
It certainly isn't today, but it's probably the best option humanity will ever get. If we stay here, eventually we die. That can't be avoided. The Earth itself will die eventually, the only question is do we die first, do we die with it, or do we leave and spread across the solar system and potentially to other stars? And the odds are strongly in favor of us dying long before Earth - just like 99.??% of all other species on Earth whose desce
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There is no way for colony to be self-sustaining there nor on Venus (ha!) nor the Moon
Never say never; OTOH I'd be more optimistic about our ability to create a self-sustaining-in-isolation colony outside Earth if we could first demonstrate a self-sustaining-in-isolation colony on Earth. The last time we tried it (Biosphere 2), the project was abandoned when the participants' health started to decline due to starvation caused by the collapse of their mini-ecosystem.
Re: one point disagree (Score:2)
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lol, now I know that you are blowing it out your ass since you are obviously an authority on 'physical materials and thermodynamics'
Old saying, look it up, 'On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog' [wikipedia.org]
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Well, most ppl using the term "thermodynamics", especially on /. , don't know what it is about.
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Please elaborate on specifically what limitations of physical materials and thermodynamics make it impossible?
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Think of the materials that were not available only ten years ago. Materials that only ten or twenty prior to that would have been considered science fiction.
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
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Early humans had a lot to gain to move out into places with more food. Mars is not such a place. Maybe in the future when we mess this planed beyond repair Mars will be "better". At this point it is just a scientific curiosity.
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At which point, it would not be socially and economically possible to do.
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Indeed. The lands directly adjacent to Africa are so similar to Africa that it is highly unlikely that the humans that left realized they were leaving.
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Elon Musk should rename his Mars effort the Second Basket Society.
For the very reason that if every human is on earth and a catastrophic celestial event happens to the earth our species will be wiped out.
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For the very reason that if every human is on earth and a catastrophic celestial event happens to the earth our species will be wiped out.
If an ELE wipes out human life on Earth, the Martian colony will perish as well because their supply lifeline will vanish.
If an ELE wipes out half of human life on Earth, the Martian colony will perish because humans on Earth will have other priorities.
If a Chicxulub-level impact occurs on Earth, leading to catastrophic tidal waves, fires, and a years-long winter, the worst day of that catastrophe will still be far better than the best day on Mars.
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If a Chicxulub-level impact occurs on Earth, leading to catastrophic tidal waves, fires, and a years-long winter, the worst day of that catastrophe will still be far better than the best day on Mars.
Most certainly not. As on earth your lifetime is probably limited to a single day, if at all.
While on Mars you can survive 3 to 4 days with nice sunrises and sunsets, without water.
Considering that you most likely have a local water supply (or recycled water) you can starve 6 weeks to 12 weeks and "semi enjoy" y
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All you needed to leave Africa was your own two feet. All you needed to survive out of Africa was some rocks to bang together. Food and water was all around you for the taking, which is why you're heading out of Africa in the first place: you're following the path of least resistance to survival.
Why do people feel the need to tear down (Score:5, Interesting)
It seems petty.
Obviously Musk believes in saving good quality habitability of Earth. His leadership on EVs, solar + energy storage smart grid, hyperloops to replace some aviation etc etc etc is contributing in a meaningful way to that. He is doing as much as anyone else is on this, in fact.
If he wants to spend his own earned financial resources on a cool (and harmless) techno-project to establish a mars colony, what's wrong with that?
Herzog comes across like those two old curmudgeons on sesame street on this one.
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Why do people feel the need to tear down others' initiatives.
The interviewer specifically asked his opinion. Herzog started by saying, "I am not a scientist..."
Obviously Musk believes in saving good quality habitability of Earth. His leadership on EVs, solar + energy storage smart grid, hyperloops to replace some aviation etc etc etc is contributing in a meaningful way to that. He is doing as much as anyone else is on this, in fact.
If you read the interview, Herzog was quite complimentary of Musk, in fact.
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My take on Musk is that what he cares about is cool shit.
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Given the high probability of the colony having been set up with nuclear energy technologies, and their ample supply of rocket components, the end result of all of this could be a high risk of setting off the first interplanetary nuclear war.
The easy way to avoid that is not to ship any nuclear weapons to Mars.
A much more likely outcome is everyone on Mars dying suddenly when one of the colonists finally flips out and (deliberately or accidentally or accidentally-on-purpose) vents the communal atmosphere.
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Compact nuclear power reactors typically use highly-enriched uranium fuel.
These disgruntled settlers won't have many productive things to do, so why not tinker around with the stuff?
He thinks of Mars Colonies like Bioshock Rapture (Score:2)
, Herzog also compares Musk's plan to the rise and collapse of communism and fascism in the 20th century. The 21st century will "quickly" end the "technological utopia like colonizing Mars," he says.
The age of exploration is over.
Send big polluters & climatechange deniers to (Score:2)
After all since they don't care much about the environment on Earth, a lot less money is needed for making habitable infrastructure on Mars to support them. It's a win-win! :)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Might I suggest that you colonize Venus (Score:2)
Don't dress for the heat, since it's a fraud based on some kind of bullshit called science.
Never forgiven him after Ian Curtis (Score:2)
The last thing Ian Curtis did before killing himself was watch Herzog's 'Strozek'. Now he wants me to keep from going to Mars. Swim in your own lane, Werner.
Aw snap he just called Elon a locust. (Score:2)
Let's colonize Mars with plants (Score:2)
By the time we can build a ship that can carry humans safely, maybe there will be something to eat there.
Great Ventures always have their detractors (Score:2)
Well this is silly reasoning (Score:2)
Herzog: Yes, but I don't buy [that we're living in a simulation]. Because when I kick a soccer ball from the penalty spot, I know this is for real. If the goalie saves it, oh shit, this is for real.
The problem with thinking that you'd be able to know you're living in a simulation because it "looks fake" is that when you've been living in that simulation your entire life, your idea of how things are "supposed to look" was formed entirely based on your past experiences of... living in that simulation. So of course the simulation is going to look natural to you, regardless of how crude or sophisticated it might seem to some (hypothetical) being that also has experiences of the "real world outside the si
Re: Well this is silly reasoning (Score:2)
Yes, that is another thing he got badly, sadly wrong. All he accomplished was proving that he could not tell whether he was in a simulation, because it requires so little evidence to convince him that he is not. His argument is only valid for the claim that it does not matter whether we are in a simulation.
The way you escape from a virtual machine is with exceptionally unexpected interaction that the VM cannot process. Perhaps further poking around at the edges of physics will one day reveal that this is a
Re: (Score:2)
Not knowing what it's composed of has nothing to do with understanding you require it for life.
Luckily it is not up to him (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
This assumes you are a living being, trapped in a simulation.
The question is actually much deeper. You may not even have a body and a brain, you may only be the equivalent of what we know as "software".