Terraforming Mars

Discussion in 'Astronomy, Exobiology, & Cosmology' started by Krista, Nov 22, 2001.

  1. Krista Registered Member

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    Hi everyone,

    I have been presented with another topic in my astronomy class to write an article about and I was wondering if I could get some people's opinions on it. The article is suppose to look SPECIFICALLY at the ETHICAL issues of terraforming Mars. I would like to take a stand AGAINST terraforming the planet....Any suggestions?

    Thanks!
     
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  3. rde Eukaryotic specimen Registered Senior Member

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    If there's life on Mars, there may be an ethical dilemma. But if there isn't, I see no problem. Far from it; I consider it an imperative.



    In fact, even if there is life on Mars, this should only dictate how we go about colonisation and terraforming; not 'if'.
     
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  5. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    Funny you should mention this topic...
    Sometime ago in another forum I posted on this very topic.

    The question is; What about ethics? Are you trying to save something on a relatively dead planet? If not dead then certainly dying. It sounds like the tree hugger philosphy trying to get into space early.

    If we are worried about how to save dear panet Mars, we are to late.

    If it is from the stand point of should we clean up planet earth before verturing into space then this is simular to; Should we leave the trees for the great beyond? If we waited for everything to be right with the world we will never make it. For there will be something always that needs fixing or doing until we die on this rock ball. No closer than we started off in securing the race for a future instead of having all our eggs in the same basket.

    There is another factor that should be pushing us beside expanding to where an atomic war will not end the race. We are running out of non-renewable recources. So after there are gone how do we get more? One way is asteroid mining. But it must be done before the very metals we need are gone to make the vessels necessary for the industry.

    Mars is needed in the long haul. No practical method exists that is known to make Mars a place to send excess population. It would take longer than we have to try to make Mars habital, if it can be done. It can not be the jump off point for or excess population either. To expensive to send them there even if all other problems were solved now. We need Mars for the experience it will give us in living on other places than earth. What we can learn from it to help us later. Prehaps food growing room for earth, as this could be done in pressurized domes or even underground.

    I don't think ethics plays a part in it. If we don't use the planet who will? Would you condem the population to wither and die here from resource wars? You see this ties in with general moving around the solar system. Something we as a species must do if we are to expand to the stars. If we do not expand to the stars, or find some other method to deal with the upcoming crisises, (food, resources, growing and expansion room) then one day we are doomed to go the way of the dinosaur. And I think the choice is ours to how this will turn out.

    If ethics has any part in it, in my opinion it would be to support the use of the planet and the expansion of humankind.

    BTW, welcome to Sciforums, Krista.
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2001
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  7. Rigelsir00 Registered Member

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    Hi its me,Ted.

    My opinion is that we could but it takes a lot of time.
     
  8. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    Welcome to Scirorums, Rigelsir00.

    To be honest I question that we could make headway and then keep that headway. You see, it is a losing battle. The problem is that the Mars doesn't have and active, continous, magnetic field. Without one the solar wind blows off the atmoshpere that Mars might contain. This was measured and found to be the key reason why there is no atmoshpere to speak of. That which remains is also going the same way as the rest. Off into space.
     
  9. Rigelsir00 Registered Member

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    Yes but with hard work we can overcome that problem.The NASA is creating something to solve that problem according to what i read.Hey nice to meet you im Ted Gonzalez from Puerto rico>im 13 years old.
     
  10. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    So tell me about the proposed solution... call me curious.

    Always glad to see folks from where ever around the world come in to the conversation. It gives different perspectives. So pull up a chair and welcome.
     
  11. Rigelsir00 Registered Member

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    Well, All i can remember right now is that they will send to Mars that sort of machine that would create a kind of atsmosphere that will protect us the radiation.It is so-called a artifial enviroment.Despite of that we will have to keep using special clothing.That will be before the human's landing on the planet.Are you teacher or something?I was looking for a site that offers a lot I found it!Could you help me with something.Also about the first comment of the biggining of the universe .Dont you think that boy just write the same He read.
     
  12. Hevene Registered Senior Member

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    When we are all thinking about transforming mars and colonise mars. It is really better to live in artificial, closed-ecology habitats in free orbit. The system could be designed to spin on its axis to provide the centripetal force which simulates gravity. This has many advantages over any planetary home, including earth, such as the worry of weather.
     
  13. rde Eukaryotic specimen Registered Senior Member

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    The main problem there, as I see it, is one of space. On a planet, duststorms notwithstanding, it's possible to expand with relative ease. Not just in terms of population, but ecology; it's all very well to grow food, but if the population outstrips foodgrowth, everyone might end up eating soylent green.

    And a dome on mars could be a first step to terraforming. It might take five hundred years, but the planet doesn't have to be empty while that happens.
     
  14. Mr. G reality.sys Valued Senior Member

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    <<...I would like to take a stand AGAINST terraforming the planet....Any suggestions?..>>

    Two American legal words: Manifest Destiny.

    Being an Evolutionist, Mars is ours (humanity) unless someone else exists who can keep us from possessing it.

    QED
     
  15. tetra Hello Registered Senior Member

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    Well of course we should terraform it; the only ethical issue I can see against it is that terraforming it would allow humans onto it.
    (According to tree-huggers, people are bad)
     
  16. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    Prehaps the tree-huggers should show just how much they believe in their philosphy. Just think how much better off the rest of the population would be with a few million less people to feed and support.
     
  17. Hevene Registered Senior Member

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    I was reading a very interesting book yesterday where it talked about methods of terraforming mars. It mensioned that scientists is sending rockets to a asteroid where it slowly changes its direction and heads straight to mars. As it enters the atmosphere, it vaporises and creates hot gas clouds that turns to rain which in turn can slowly create an atmosphere on Mars.
     
  18. Chagur .Seeker. Registered Senior Member

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    Hevene ...

    Comet might do a better job of it.

    See: <a href=http://www.sciforums.com/f6/sde2b28c503edd482df72846be7a6995f/showthread.php?postid=66878#post66878><font color=red>Self-Terriforming</font></a>

    Take care.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  19. Hevene Registered Senior Member

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    Yeah, since it's made up of ice, it can produce water much better.
     

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