The Impossibility of Colonizing the Galaxy

OriginalArlen writes "The science fiction writer Charlie Stross has written an excellent and comprehensive explanation of why, thousands of SF books, movies, and games notwithstanding, human colonization of other star systems is impossible. Although interstellar colonization seems common-sensical to many, Charlie makes a clear-headed and unarguable case, so far as I can see, that it ain't gonna happen without a 'magic wand' or two. Nevertheless it would be interesting to see reasoned responses from the community who believe that colonization is not merely possible, but inevitable — and even, as Hawking has said, vital for the survival of the species. So, who's right — Hawking or Stross?"

Comments

This guy has no imagination!

[r_jensen11]

This guy clearly has no imagination! Honestly, how are we going to be able to colonize the galaxy if we have guys like him who only think inside the box? What we need is someone with a vision! Like L. Ron Hubbard!

Who scored this insightful???

[mario_grgic]

What has Slashdot come to.

Re:Both right?

[QuantumG]

consider a highly advanced race of beings (not us...yet) that is in no way limited by lack of understanding, incompetence, or inability to comprehend, but rather solely by the laws of physics (i.e. the universe) as we now understand them according to body of our accumulated scientific knowledge. And that's why your argument is retarded. We don't know shit about the universe. We're beginners.

. If you do believe that our current understanding (not lack of current know how mind you, but understanding of the laws of physics) is seriously flawed, then the burden is upon you to prove that our current body of experimental evidence and theories are all bunk before we just throw out the bulk of the last few hundred years of science. No-one said they were bunk.. but every physicist knows that they're not playing with a full deck.