Happy Atheist Forum

General => Science => Topic started by: Ecurb Noselrub on November 26, 2018, 08:46:20 PM

Title: InSight lands on Mars
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on November 26, 2018, 08:46:20 PM
Congratulations to NASA on a safe landing.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/26/world/nasa-insight-mars-landing-today/index.html
Title: Re: InSight lands on Mars
Post by: Icarus on November 27, 2018, 02:00:42 AM
^ A tribute to human accomplishment.
Title: Re: InSight lands on Mars
Post by: Tank on November 27, 2018, 11:33:33 AM
Woot!!!  :frolic: :frolic: :frolic:
Title: Re: InSight lands on Mars
Post by: xSilverPhinx on December 02, 2018, 08:25:53 PM
Cool!
Title: Re: InSight lands on Mars
Post by: Magdalena on August 02, 2019, 11:15:54 PM
https://gizmodo.com/humans-will-never-colonize-mars-1836316222/amp (https://gizmodo.com/humans-will-never-colonize-mars-1836316222/amp)
Humans Will Never Colonize Mars.
(https://media.tenor.com/images/6ce587500075da926b53966b3e18810e/tenor.gif)

Quote
...
As Martin Rees pointed out, Mars and other space environments are "inherently hostile for humans," but as he wrote in his book,

[We] (and our progeny here on Earth) should cheer on the brave space adventurers, because they will have a pivotal role in spearheading the post-human future and determining what happens in the twenty-second century and beyond.

By post-human future, Rees is referring to a hypothetical future era in which humans have undergone extensive biological and cybernetic modifications such that they can no longer be classified as human. So while Mars will remain inaccessible to ordinary, run-of-the-mill Homo sapiens, the Red Planet could become available to those who dare to modify themselves and their progeny.

A possible solution is to radically modify human biology to make Martian colonists specially adapted to live, work, and procreate on the Red Planet. As Rees wrote in On the Future:

So, because they will be ill-adapted to their new habitat, the pioneer explorers will have a more compelling incentive than those of us on Earth to redesign themselves. They'll harness the super-powerful genetic and cyborg technologies that will be developed in coming decades. These techniques will be, one hopes, heavily regulated on Earth, on prudential and ethical grounds, but 'settlers' on Mars will be far beyond the clutches of the regulators. We should wish them good luck in modifying their progeny to adapt to alien environments. This might be the first step towards divergence into a new species. Genetic modification would be supplemented by cyborg technology—indeed there may be a transition to fully inorganic intelligences. So, it's these space-faring adventurers, not those of us comfortably adapted to life on Earth, who will spearhead the posthuman era.

Indeed, modifying humans to make them adaptable to living on Mars will require dramatic changes.

Our DNA would have to be tailored specifically to enable a long, healthy life on Mars, including genetic tweaks for good muscle, bone, and brain health. These traits could be made heritable, such that Martian colonists could pass down the characteristics to their offspring. In cases where biology is not up for the task, scientists could use cybernetic enhancements, including artificial neurons or synthetic skin capable of fending off dangerous UV rays. Nanotechnology in the form of molecular machines could deliver medicines, perform repair work, and eliminate the need for breathing and eating. Collectively, these changes would result in an entirely new species of human—one built specifically for Mars.
...
Title: Re: InSight lands on Mars
Post by: xSilverPhinx on August 03, 2019, 01:26:36 PM
Quote from: Magdalena on August 02, 2019, 11:15:54 PM
https://gizmodo.com/humans-will-never-colonize-mars-1836316222/amp (https://gizmodo.com/humans-will-never-colonize-mars-1836316222/amp)
Humans Will Never Colonize Mars.
(https://media.tenor.com/images/6ce587500075da926b53966b3e18810e/tenor.gif)

Quote
...
As Martin Rees pointed out, Mars and other space environments are "inherently hostile for humans," but as he wrote in his book,

[We] (and our progeny here on Earth) should cheer on the brave space adventurers, because they will have a pivotal role in spearheading the post-human future and determining what happens in the twenty-second century and beyond.

By post-human future, Rees is referring to a hypothetical future era in which humans have undergone extensive biological and cybernetic modifications such that they can no longer be classified as human. So while Mars will remain inaccessible to ordinary, run-of-the-mill Homo sapiens, the Red Planet could become available to those who dare to modify themselves and their progeny.

A possible solution is to radically modify human biology to make Martian colonists specially adapted to live, work, and procreate on the Red Planet. As Rees wrote in On the Future:

So, because they will be ill-adapted to their new habitat, the pioneer explorers will have a more compelling incentive than those of us on Earth to redesign themselves. They'll harness the super-powerful genetic and cyborg technologies that will be developed in coming decades. These techniques will be, one hopes, heavily regulated on Earth, on prudential and ethical grounds, but 'settlers' on Mars will be far beyond the clutches of the regulators. We should wish them good luck in modifying their progeny to adapt to alien environments. This might be the first step towards divergence into a new species. Genetic modification would be supplemented by cyborg technology—indeed there may be a transition to fully inorganic intelligences. So, it's these space-faring adventurers, not those of us comfortably adapted to life on Earth, who will spearhead the posthuman era.

Indeed, modifying humans to make them adaptable to living on Mars will require dramatic changes.

Our DNA would have to be tailored specifically to enable a long, healthy life on Mars, including genetic tweaks for good muscle, bone, and brain health. These traits could be made heritable, such that Martian colonists could pass down the characteristics to their offspring. In cases where biology is not up for the task, scientists could use cybernetic enhancements, including artificial neurons or synthetic skin capable of fending off dangerous UV rays. Nanotechnology in the form of molecular machines could deliver medicines, perform repair work, and eliminate the need for breathing and eating. Collectively, these changes would result in an entirely new species of human—one built specifically for Mars.
...

Never, such a strong word. ::)

I doubt humans will never colonize Mars, and believe if we can't take our biological evolution into our own hands fast enough then technology will certainly evolve enough to allow humans to populate that planet.

:grin: That article will probably go down in 'bad futuristic predictions' hall of fame, just like this quote from Thomas Watson:

(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ae/a5/8c/aea58c1b67c5dc6931af559300dbe292--future-computers-technology-quotes.jpg)
Title: Re: InSight lands on Mars
Post by: Magdalena on August 03, 2019, 07:19:24 PM
^^^
Ha! Five.  :lol:

Yeah, the article sounds extreme. Perhaps we can take baby steps to Mars, let's colonize the moon first and go from there.