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Mars Terraforming Debate

Posted by michael on from the getting-ahead-of-ourselves dept.

blackhelicopter writes "This Guardian article describes the implications of terraforming Mars - the subject of NASA's forthcoming debate. Quote from Dr Lisa Pratt, a Nasa astrobiologist, concerning life probably already on Mars: 'We simply cannot risk starting a global experiment that would wipe out the precious sensitive evidence we are seeking'."

6 of 529 comments (clear)

  1. Can We Even Do It? by Mikkeles · · Score: 5, Funny

    Given our experiences with Biosphere 2 and my own attempts at gardening, I think Mars is safe for a while.

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    Great minds think alike; fools seldom differ.
    1. Re:Can We Even Do It? by yintercept · · Score: 4, Funny

      My attempts at gardening just shows I produce a lot of strange things I can't control. I side with life. If we get life up on Mars, it will do what my garden does...take on a life of its own.

  2. Re:wonderful.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh no! We'll destroy the non-existant yet vibrant ecosytem!

  3. Sure it starts with a debate by quantaman · · Score: 4, Funny

    Next thing you know those crazy Reds are taking down the space elevator and Mars is one moon short!

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    I stole this Sig
  4. Re:Interesting. by UnknowingFool · · Score: 4, Funny
    It'll never happen. Why? Terraforming is a multigenerational undertaking. So far the only human creation to span many generations has been religions and the wars they involve.

    Maybe this generation doesn't, but past generations have been able to build things. The pyramids, the Great Wall of China. Back in my days we spent days moving one-ton blocks from one side of the road to the other. With our tongues. It's just these young pups, and their MTV generation short attention span, and their lazy work ethic. Young whipper-snappers.

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    Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
  5. Great economic potential by MrIrwin · · Score: 4, Funny
    Just think about the spin-offs in the legal sector.....who owns Mars......what laws apply.

    Then, of course, there will be all those mars patents to file.

    I'm allready getting ready to a couple. The first relates to the use of circular device mounted on a central pivot to ease the problem of transport over the martian surface, whilst the second one is all about the application of temperature elevated hydrogen hydoxide in space colonization.

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    And if you thought that was boring you obviously havn't read my Journal ;-)