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Scientists Propose 'National Parks' On Mars

colonist writes "Microbiologist Charles Cockell and astrobiologist Gerda Horneck want to turn seven areas on Mars into 'national parks', conserved in their pristine state. 'It is the right of every person to stand and stare across the beautiful barrenness and desolation of the Martian surface without having to endure the eyesore of pieces of crashed spacecraft scattered across the landscape,' they write. Cockell is not against colonization, though. He says that setting aside some areas for conservation would free up the rest of the planet for settlement."

32 of 331 comments (clear)

  1. Saxifrage Russell by davejenkins · · Score: 5, Funny

    Damn that Saxifrage Russell and his Greens!

    1. Re:Saxifrage Russell by Fenris+Ulf · · Score: 3, Funny

      This is probably the most topical post in the thread, and it's moderated 0, offtopic.

      Don't forget Anne, though.

  2. On the contrary... by isny · · Score: 4, Funny

    Crash spaceship sites should be designated 'national historal parks'.

  3. What a joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    As if we were planning on paving the whole planet as soon as we landed.

    1. Re:What a joke by whoda · · Score: 4, Funny

      You're right, we'll drill for oil first, everybody knows that.

    2. Re:What a joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think you're on to something... if you want the US to invest more in space exploration, tell them you're looking for oil, not water.

      How could we have missed that??

    3. Re:What a joke by lateral · · Score: 4, Funny
      ...and those crashed space ships look awfully like WMD from here.

      L

  4. First things first... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    How about we GET there first, then colonize, then let all the pussy treehuggers whine about it?

    1. Re:First things first... by Concerned+Onlooker · · Score: 2, Funny
      How about we GET there first, then colonize, then let all the pussy treehuggers whine about it?

      If I'd known I could get modded up so high for it I would have become a Republican a long time ago....

      --
      http://www.rootstrikers.org/
  5. An obvious plot to keep us away from the martians by orb · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, the good thing is that after this we'll know exactly the seven areas the conspiracy lovers will tell us there are signs of ancient civilizations, martian colonies or other such stuff.

  6. Re:Well look at that. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    The green movement turns red.

  7. See? by EdwinBoyd · · Score: 5, Funny

    He should take solace in knowing that the massive amounts of radiation hitting the planet due to it having no atmosphere to speak of would likely burn out the eyes of the tourist.

  8. Here we go by mordors9 · · Score: 3, Funny

    You start up National Parks and the bears show up to beg and go through the trash.

    1. Re:Here we go by DarkMantle · · Score: 2, Funny

      "hey, Boo-Boo, I think I spy a pic-n-nic basket."

      "I don't think the Astronaught would like us taking it Yogi."

      --
      DarkMantle I been bored, so I started a blog.
  9. Am I correct in thinking.. by oexeo · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, America owns Mars now, right?

  10. Re:Terminology please? by ari_j · · Score: 3, Funny

    No. Any mission launched to colonize Mars would be a multinational group. But by the time they all got there, the Americans would have eaten all the Chinese, Japanese, French, German, and Middle Eastern aboard and the Russians would have been shot out of the capsule for being too much like American rednecks: "Hey y'all, watch this!"

  11. Well, ok, but by Bin_jammin · · Score: 1, Funny

    Who gets to pick the nation? I assume that it refers to American, but I wonder how the rest of the world would like that idea. Then again, plant the flag, let them all head to Mars and try to take the land from us. You'll get my Mars when you pry it from my cold, dead, oxygen deprived fingers.

  12. Yogi bear wants to know... by GreggBert · · Score: 2, Funny

    Will there be pic-a-nik baskets in the parkon Mars ?

    --


    If you don't understand anything I post, please accept that I ate paste as a small boy...
  13. UAC? by Mystic0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does the Doom III ad have anything to do with the article, or is that just a coincidence?

  14. There aren't even trees to hug! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Bunch of pussy iron oxide huggers.

  15. You're forgetting... by Magus424 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Some of the probes went *SPLAT* instead of landing safely :)

    --
    -- Gone Crazy, Back Later
  16. Earth First... by Prototerm · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...We'll strip-mine the other planets later.

    --
    "My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right." --Senator Carl Schurz (1872)
  17. Re:Well look at that. by laughingcoyote · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well, for future reference, I'm a liberal, social democrat, and I don't consider the word "liberal" to be a curse. And no, I didn't grow up in Massachusetts or California, Colorado actually. However, I still have no idea if the regulations are good or bad, since I haven't looked at them in depth for myself.

    --
    To fight the war on terror, stop being afraid.
  18. WTF IS THE POINT OF THIS! by Zork+the+Almighty · · Score: 2, Funny

    The point of this is to cordon off areas of Mars where McDonalds can't put billboards.

    --

    In Soviet America the banks rob you!
  19. Them martians... by nxtr · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...they stole all of the pic-a-nic baskets!

  20. Space Rangers by Wingie · · Score: 3, Funny

    Space parks means... SPACE RANGERS!!! "Hey Chuck, the tourists on trail three just ran out of oxygen. Can you spacelift them a few tanks with the Mars hopper?" "All Rangers, a bunch of tourists are being attacked by native demons. Make sure to bring your BFGs! *click* Sigh, what part of the 'FEED THE DEMONS AND THEY WILL EAT YOUR SOUL' do they not understand?"

  21. Beagles in search of a home by ceallaigh · · Score: 2, Funny

    I guess the British Beagle landers will have to find a new destination.

  22. Re:Terminology please? by ppanon · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually, I would bet on either the French or the Chinese in that kind of a scenario.

    Most Americans aren't culinarily adventurous so they won't be willing to resort to cannibalism until after they're already the main course. Your average Middle Eastern resident is going to have to overcome double everybody else's religious qualms over 'long pig', with the same result. And as you point out, the Russians may be thrown out the airlock over their behaviour long before food stocks go low (or accidentally step out for a walk during a roaring drunk). That also is likely to happen to the Germans if they can't get over saying things like "Zat hydroponics pump vould nefer haf failed if it vass a *German* pump". Once any peacekeepers have been eliminated, the Japanese are likely to get tossed out the airlock by the Chinese as retribution for the Second World War.

    So I'll bet on the Chinese or the French. Southern Chinese will eat any and all parts of any animal, and a good French cook will be able to whip a nice little burgundy, garlic, or herb sauce to make things palatable.

    --
    Laissez lire, et laissez danser; ces deux amusements ne feront jamais de mal au monde. - Voltaire
  23. Pave the Universe by sadomikeyism · · Score: 2, Funny
    Geezus cripes, we haven't even had a chance yet to despoil the lifeless 'environment' and they want it all shut off from settlement. I laughed when Kim Stanley Robinson wrote that people would worship "the intrinsic value of rock", but it seems that human insanity can never be overestimated.

    Question: if there are no trees on Mars to hug, aren't we going to need a new name to call these nuts?

    --
    "Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves
  24. Re:Terminology please? by fireboy1919 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Na, they should be designated "international McHistorical McParks" since any colonization on Mars will probably be done by a corporation that will eventually run everything. After all, if we have a nuclear holocaust before we go to Mars (which would be a good reason to try to colonize there despite the enormous expense), what will be more important than food, and what kind of food will survive a nuclear holocaust? I guess it might also be "Hostess International Historical Parks" or even "McHostess International McHistorical McParks" at that point.

    On the other hand, wouldn't Microsoft buy McDonalds before the holocaust as it expands in an ever-encompassing web of mediocracy? So...I guess it'd be "MSMcHostess MSInternational McHistorical McParks" or some similar variation.

    --
    Mod me down and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine!
  25. Re:Terminology please? by Crashmarik · · Score: 3, Funny

    Problem with chinese is half an hour later your hungry again :(

  26. And Darren McGavin Can Run The Concession Stands by Trikenstein · · Score: 2, Funny
    And Souvenir Shops.

    I can see him in his Cowboy outfit now :p