Donald,

Does your push for Mars indicate giving up on Earth's prospects or is it only a backup? New developments, including the plasma engine, gives us several months round-trip access rather than several years, though I gather your concept is long-term and self-sufficient with an eye toward terraforming.

My essay speaks of "looking beyond" in terms of beyond Earth and beyond the conventional and "looking within" to harness the untapped potential of the human brain, which many see as the microcosm of the universe.

I would like to see your comments.

Jim

    Jim, thanks for the comment, and I hope this reply suffices.

    First, given all the potential threats to our existence combined with the fact that all our proverbial "eggs are in one basket," and if we really want to up the odds of survival of an Earth derived species, then we need to branch out as soon as possible. Humans have been working on problems here as long as we have been social creatures and will hopefully continue to do so; but you can see where that has got us thus far.

    As for the technology involved, i.e., propulsion and energy systems, we have ample ability now to begin this branching out. Remember, Columbus did not wait for the development of the steam engine to discover the "New World" and just because its dangerous or difficult we should not wait to begin our settling of Mars.

    I look forward to reading your paper also.

    Cheers,

    Don

    You make a compelling case for settling Mars, Don. I like the analogy to the short-lived Huygens probe. I completely agree with you--my essay covers some similar ground--that we can't keep all of our eggs in the single basket of Earth indefinitely. A Mars mission is feasible and has the potential to be transformative. Good luck in the contest--you deserve to do well.

    Best,

    Robert de Neufville

      Thanks for the comment CaoHoàng.

      Yes, I truly believe that if we as a species are to survive, even the short term, i.e., the next couple hundred years, we need to get a presence firmly established on Mars as soon as possible. Statistically, we are overdue for one of several very bad disasters. And in doing so, we could positively inspire Earth. And one series of closely spaced marginally bad (expensive) events will delay such ventures another 30 to 50 years; as has been shown for the last 40 years.

      As for other eligible destinations or planets, I don't really think so. Nothing as simple as Mars. Nothing with the resources readily available as Mars. There are other very interesting places to go, but that will be more for pure scientific exploration - in the very near future.

      Cheers,

      Don

      Dear Robert,

      Thanks you. I hoped to make it at least somewhat interesting, at least from a writing/reading perspective.

      As for the case, I just don't understand why more people don't see this as an undertaking that we need to start immediately. I liken it to the destruction of the Minoan culture on Crete from the tsunami from Santorini. They had a great navy and command of the sea, but they never, as far as I can tell, settled or colonized any other location that preserved their culture; though they may have influenced many others. Such a loss. I guess history is not a popular topic to most people. Humans seem to like taking two steps forward and 1.5 backwards.

      I will check your essay out soon.

      Good luck,

      Don

      Donald,

      Thank you for an interesting and well-researched essay. I particularly liked your analysis of what would have happened if NASA's budget hadn't been cut after the initial investment in the Apollo Missions.

      I hope your essay makes it to the finals, and I have rated it accordingly. Good luck!

      Marc

      5 days later

      Donald,

      Certainly Mars is attainable, especially with a promising development of a plasma engine which supposedly could get us there and back in months rather than years. I assume you are suggesting terraforming of Mars to make it livable. You cite the foolish use of resources we are currently engaged in. Perhaps that is biggest challenge for our future. How we break short-term agendas to seriously pursue a viable future.

      My essay too tries to deal with this short-sightedness with a solution of looking beyond the orthodox science and within the neural universe of the mind. I would like to see your thoughts on my essay: http://www.fqxi.org/community/forum/topic/2008

      Good marks.

      Jim

        Donald

        Great essay, very interesting read but I didn't need selling on you fundamental hypothesis. My concern is that the current 'rut' our understanding of nature is stuck in may mean we'll never win the multi planet race. I address that but from the reaction of many it seems it may already be too late. I also suspect we may anyway need to go further afield to find long term sustainable environments. Very well presented and argued anyway.

        Best wishes

        Peter

          Hi Jim,

          And yes, Mars is attainable even now. Like I've said previously, Columbus did not wait on the development of a steam ship to make his voyages, and we shouldn't wait till better propulsion systems are made available. It will be dangerous and risky, but that's how all exploration in history has been. As for terraforming, that would be a long term goal and should not hinder our initiating settlements now. Kind of like living in Houston in nice air-conditioned environments all summer.

          And its too bad we, humanity, cant work on settling Mars in parallel with our addressing all our other ongoing problems.

          I will take a look at your essay soon.

          Best Regards,

          Don

          Peter,

          Thanks. And I'm glad you are in the choir. Unfortunately, I think the majority of people still really need convincing, or this would have begun already. My feeling is that it all boils down to money as usual and where our societies and cultures prefer to spend it is telling, both historically and prophetically.

          For me, sustainability boils down to water and energy. If we have both of those in ample supply, we are quite adept at designing our own environments and adapting to them. So Mars should do just fine for now. And again, everything returns to money.

          Good luck,

          Don