56 minutes ago, dmwalker said:

Sometimes, when I struggle to read my own handwriting, I wonder if I should have become a doctor.

Only if you play golf on Wednesday! 🏌🏻‍♂️

1 hour ago, dmwalker said:

I don't think any billionaires will be going until, maybe, 100 years after the first colonisation because they don't have any useful, practical skills.

 

Well hopefully we will have stabilised climate change at a reasonable level and avoided any other threats. In which case the billionaires will be still on Earth by the side of picturesque lakes in their mansions, unless they fancied a vacation on Mars to check out the mega dome and strap wings on and fly like a bird in the low gravity. 

Meanwhile, scientists, engineers and intrepid colonists will be our representatives on Mars or wherever else we decide to base ourselves. 

Not to mention miners and anyone else who's factories would be better off not on Earth. Space mining will come. 

3 hours ago, martin-w said:

In which case the billionaires will be still on Earth by the side of picturesque lakes in their mansions

When the billionaires start moving to Mars, we'll know Earth really is doomed.

Isn't there a law which says people from Earth can't own land on other planets, moons, etc.?

Edited December 16, 20214 yr by dmwalker

56 minutes ago, dmwalker said:

When the billionaires start moving to Mars, we'll know Earth really is doomed.

 

 

😁

 

Quote

Isn't there a law which says people from Earth can't own land on other planets, moons, etc.?

 

There is an international treaty that says... "The exploration and use of space shall be carried out in the interests of all nations. Space is the province of all mankind". That means it doesn't matter who plants a flag on whatever body, you still cant own it. 

That was set up in 1967 though. 109 nations have signed it. Your guess is as good as mine as to who the first  will be that fences off a portion and says... "GET OFF MY LAND!"

http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties/outerspacetreaty.html

Have you seen the series For All Mankind? Its an alterative history where the US were beaten to the Moon by Russia and the space race continued.  Russia and China and the US are on the Moon. And what fun that turns out to be. 

 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7772588/

 

 

 

 

Edited December 16, 20214 yr by martin-w

Wait a minute...........

 

Yes but they serve all nations to Big Mac's on Mars so its still in keeping with the treaty.

47 minutes ago, martin-w said:

Have you seen the series For All Mankind?

No; I gave up TV four years ago. Based on the trailers, I think it would make me depressed but there was an intriguing summary for Season 1 Episode 4, which stated "A training accident spurs a national debate about women astronauts.". I can't imagine what that would be all about.

3 minutes ago, dmwalker said:

No; I gave up TV four years ago.

 

That's a shame, because there is some stuff that's truly excellent.

2 minutes ago, martin-w said:

That's a shame, because there is some stuff that's truly excellent.

So, what was the national debate about women astronauts? I need to know!

26 minutes ago, martin-w said:

That's a shame, because there is some stuff that's truly excellent.

But it's not actually ON television...

25 minutes ago, dmwalker said:

So, what was the national debate about women astronauts? I need to know!

From the trailers the President insisted that they must have a female astronaut. "Didn't anyone tell the President that we don't have any women astronauts."

11 hours ago, martin-w said:

So by 2050, we could well have an example of human consciousness on an another world in the solar system, thus avoiding any existential threat from climate change.

You're obviously a smart guy Martin. Just based on your posts here I'd put you well above the average I.Q. So, what amazes me is that you just can't grasp the insignificance of extra-terrestrial colonization. By 2050 the human population of the earth will be almost 10 billion people. How many of those will "escape" to another world? 1000? 2000? 1,000,000? Suffice it to say it won't be a significant number. Ever. Virtually all of the human race will come to an end when the planet becomes uninhabitable. That's what I call killing the planet. We're just another species here. It's just unfortunate that we're the only species who can accelerate our ultimate demise.

Edited December 17, 20214 yr by W2DR

58 minutes ago, W2DR said:

Virtually all of the human race will come to an end when the planet becomes uninhabitable.

The purpose of extra-terrestrial colonisation isn't about saving the planet or saving the 10 billion population. It's about assuming Earth and the entire 10 billion are going to die and it's about saving enough people through Mars colonisation so that our species doesn't become extinct but can preserve all our knowledge, learn from our mistakes and find a way to thrive and rebuild our population off-world. I have said that I don't think it can work but, at least, we have to try.

9 hours ago, W2DR said:

You're obviously a smart guy Martin.

 

Correct, which was why I was chosen by our wonderous feline gods and goddesses to be their human representative on this rock floating in space. All praise to the wondrousness that is the feline form. 

 

9 hours ago, W2DR said:

How many of those will "escape" to another world?

 

I have explained this many times in this thread and others. All that matters in terms of avoiding an EXISTENTIAL threat, is that one colony that's self sustaining and capable of  breeding remains, doesn't matter how many people as long as the aforementioned criteria is met. With wonderous poetry I put it this way... "Its about ensuring that the light of human conciseness remains in the cosmos".

If any one of the threats that could wipe us ALL out is manifest, human beings, our history, all that we have achieved will be gone for good, vanished from the cosmos as if we and our achievements never existed. By having a colony, or multiple colonies elsewhere in the solar system, or ultimately the cosmos, we avoid that eventuality, 

 

9 hours ago, W2DR said:

Virtually all of the human race will come to an end when the planet becomes uninhabitable. That's what I call killing the planet.

 

That not killing the planet, its killing our species and others. The "planet" this big ball of rock with squidgy melted rock and iron in the middle will survive. Furthermore, in time the planets ecosystem will recover and any remaining species will once again be ruled by the feline overlords. 😺💪👍

 

9 hours ago, W2DR said:

you just can't grasp the insignificance of extra-terrestrial colonization

 

Negative! Read everything above and then tell me who can't grasp this simple concept.

I would highly recommend that you allow your nearest feline to engage with you in a session of "furry paw mind melding" then all will be clear. 

 

😼

Minus 20 cat points for telling me I cant grasp something. MINUS 20 😼

Edited December 17, 20214 yr by martin-w

9 hours ago, dmwalker said:

The purpose of extra-terrestrial colonisation isn't about saving the planet or saving the 10 billion population. It's about assuming Earth and the entire 10 billion are going to die and it's about saving enough people through Mars colonisation so that our species doesn't become extinct but can preserve all our knowledge, learn from our mistakes and find a way to thrive and rebuild our population off-world. I have said that I don't think it can work but, at least, we have to try.

 

The force is strong in this one. All must learn from my padawan's great intellect. 

 

In other news, looks like lots of water has been found in the Mars equivalent of the grand canyon. Looks like it might be a good location for a colony.

https://interestingengineering.com/scientists-just-found-a-significant-volume-of-water-inside-mars-grand-canyon

Edited December 17, 20214 yr by martin-w