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Dark Universe
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As in the title What would it take to terraform Pluto and Charon? besides LOTS of money...
is that possible?...
is that possible?...
Dark Universe said:As in the title What would it take to terraform Pluto and Charon? besides LOTS of money...
is that possible?...
Bobbywhy said:What does terraform mean? Will you please post a reference or two reference so I can learn what it is you are asking about?
Thank you,
Bobbywhy
Bobbywhy said:Thank you, Dark Universe. Please help me once more: what does "slowly transform" mean? How is that process accomplished? Will you please point me towards some scientific journal reference or textbook so I can study up on this?
Or, am I just incredibly naive and you are describing a "science fiction" process? If yes, please say so. Then I'd have nothing to offer.
Thanks, Bobbywhy
That's...proposterous at best. Consider that we've yet to get a biosphere project to work, find it extraordinarily expensive to put a few hundred kg on Mars and with all the industrial resources here on Earth still can't deal with habitat destruction, desertification, soil acidification!Bobbywhy said:According to the authors the terraforming of Mars might be possible using “early to mid 21st century technologies” that are not discovered yet. They conclude that “… the tasks associated with full terraforming become more daunting and the technologies required more speculative.”
Ryan_m_b said:That's...proposterous at best. Consider that we've yet to get a biosphere project to work, find it extraordinarily expensive to put a few hundred kg on Mars and with all the industrial resources here on Earth still can't deal with habitat destruction, desertification, soil acidification!
In the article the authors talk a lot about using mirrors to melt the south pole and harvesting asteroids but they've left something hugely important out: a stable ecology. It's not enough to just dump a few plants and animals and expect to have a verdant landscape a few years later. If it was that easy we wouldn't have the Gobe, the Atacama, the Sahara etc.
Woops... well at least we're on the same page.Bobbywhy said:Oh, Ryan_m_b, So sorry you missed my subtle attempt to ridicule the idea of terraforming Mars while feigning politeness! The idea is totally preposterous, without a doubt.
bangalore19 said:you use the Genesis Device, duh!
I believe the genesis device is a star trek reference, it was a joke.Dark Universe said:Mate... i took a few rounds to the internet and all that i find out about the genessis device is that is a big BIIIIIIIIG very BIIIIG... well is a bomb that destroys an entire planetary civilization... whatthaheck does that have to do with terraforming?? And besides if it is about destruction, wouldn't they may call it the genocide device? as the genessis is beggining?
I often hear that the rate of technological development is increasing but apart from a few examples from some fields I don't know where people think this is happening. In the vast majority of fields progress is incremental and steady.Dark Universe said:And about the idea of terraforming Mars being preposterous, well at this year, 2012, might be...
but you'll never know what's going to happen, in the next 15 years? or more? but not too far in the future as the speed of technology evolution is increasing every day... Read the newspaper man! or watch the news at TV! or discovery science...
Dark Universe said:... And about the idea of terraforming Mars being preposterous, well at this year, 2012, might be...
but you'll never know what's going to happen, in the next 15 years? or more? but not too far in the future as the speed of technology evolution is increasing every day... Read the newspaper man! or watch the news at TV! or discovery science...
Ryan_m_b said:I believe the genesis device is a star trek reference, it was a joke.
I often hear that the rate of technological development is increasing but apart from a few examples from some fields I don't know where people think this is happening. In the vast majority of fields progress is incremental and steady.
Regardless this site exists to discuss established science. Not to play science fiction.
Not sure if you were referring to me, Bob or both but personally whilst I don't doubt that it is possible in principle I currently see no path that would lead us to having the technological and industrial capacity to do so.AnTiFreeze3 said:I don't think he doubts what we can accomplish in the future, just that we clearly don't have the ability to do it right now, with "early to middle 21st century technologies" when we're struggling to control our own atmosphere.
That and some crackpots take Moore's law and assume that it's A) some sort of natural law and B) applicable to all areas.AnTiFreeze3 said:I think people confuse Moore's Law for the actual rate of technological progress achieved by the exponentially growing power of computers.
Terraforming is the process of transforming a planet, moon, or other celestial body into an environment that is habitable for humans. This involves making changes to the atmosphere, temperature, and surface of the body to make it more similar to Earth.
While it is theoretically possible to terraform any planet or moon, the resources and technology needed to terraform Pluto and Charon would be extremely challenging and may not be feasible with current technology. Additionally, these bodies are located very far from the sun, making it difficult to generate enough heat and light to sustain a habitable environment.
The first step in terraforming Pluto and Charon would be to increase their surface temperatures. This could be achieved by building large mirrors or reflectors to redirect sunlight onto the surface, or by using nuclear-powered heaters to warm up the planet.
The timeline for terraforming Pluto and Charon would depend on the specific techniques and technology used. However, it is estimated that the process could take hundreds or even thousands of years to fully transform the environment and make it habitable for humans.
There are several potential risks associated with terraforming Pluto and Charon, including the possibility of disrupting the current ecosystems and environments on these bodies. Also, the introduction of Earth-based organisms or microbes could have unintended consequences and potentially harm native life forms. Additionally, there could be unforeseen consequences to the climate and atmosphere of these bodies, which could have negative impacts on the terraforming process.