tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2012179240296572398.post7096495487820552366..comments2024-03-29T08:49:16.357+00:00Comments on Retro-Forteana: Three difficult things that are easier than Mars OneAndrew Mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17073306343984931484noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2012179240296572398.post-66398794157038412282015-03-23T07:58:17.293+00:002015-03-23T07:58:17.293+00:00Thanks Ross, that's an excellent idea - I'...Thanks Ross, that's an excellent idea - I'll look into it!Andrew Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17073306343984931484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2012179240296572398.post-39532169079885713962015-03-22T20:52:59.580+00:002015-03-22T20:52:59.580+00:00Human colonization of the oceans seems to be an un...Human colonization of the oceans seems to be an under-exploited idea in science fiction. Of course, there have been SF works in this vein, but not that many. Maybe you can do a RETRO-FORTEANA piece on such works. They're "retro" enough at this point, since contemporary SF writers tend to leave the idea unexplored.Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07359114718992723491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2012179240296572398.post-46779253123165217362015-03-22T18:39:11.002+00:002015-03-22T18:39:11.002+00:00Your first point is close enough, Colin! Actually ...Your first point is close enough, Colin! Actually it's the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere that protect us from UV radiation, while the magnetic field protects us from electrically charged particles. But that's a technical quibble! The basic point that the Earth offers natural protection for human life that wouldn't be there on Mars or the Moon is absolutely right. That doesn't mean there aren't other, artificial, ways to protect from high energy radiation, but it just adds to the technical problems that have to be surmounted.<br /><br />When you talk about reasons for going to the planets, there are actually two questions - why should we send robot vehicles, and why should we send humans? There are several good arguments for sending robots (mainly scientific research and mineral extraction, as you suggest)... but no really good reasons for sending people. As well as the radiation issue you've already mentioned, there are at least two other big problems that affect humans but not robots. One is life support - a journey to Mars may take a couple of years, and people will need air, water, food and medical support to last that long. The second problem is getting the crew back home. Lifting off from the Moon was easy, because the escape velocity is so low, but that's not the case with Mars. So as well as sending the crew and all their food and water all the way to Mars, you also have to send enough rocket fuel to get them home again!Andrew Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17073306343984931484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2012179240296572398.post-13212276743544049842015-03-22T14:29:25.864+00:002015-03-22T14:29:25.864+00:00There's one important thing about setting up a...There's one important thing about setting up a base on Mars or the moon that a lot of people don't understand which is that neither of them has a magnetic field to protect the surface from the Sun's ultra-violet radiation. If the Earth had no magnetic field life here would have been impossible. And why exactly would anybody want to live on Mars ? The only justification for going there would be to extract its' natural elements and minerals. In other words after we'd stripped Earth we'd go to Mars and strip that too. I predict that nobody will ever set foot on Mars, in the coming couple of centuries Mankind will be too overwhelmed by the catastrophic fallout from climate change, overpopulation and environmental destruction to worry about Mars.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com