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Ed Regis writes in the New York Times that today we an witnessing an outburst of enthusiasm over the literally outlandish notion that in the relatively near future, some of us are going to be living, working, thriving and dying on Mars. But unfortunately Mars mania reflects an excessively optimistic view of what it actually takes to travel to and live on Mars, papering over many of the harsh realities and bitter truths that underlie the dream. "First, there is the tedious business of getting there. Using current technology and conventional chemical rockets, a trip to Mars would be a grueling, eight- to nine-month-long nightmare for the crew," writes Regis. "Tears, sweat, urine and perhaps even solid waste will be recycled, your personal space is reduced to the size of an SUV., and you and your crewmates are floating around sideways, upside down and at other nauseating angles." According to Regis every source of interpersonal conflict, and emotional and psychological stress that we experience in ordinary, day-to-day life on Earth will be magnified exponentially by restriction to a tiny, hermetically sealed, pressure-cooker capsule hurtling through deep space and to top it off, despite these constraints, the crew must operate within an exceptionally slim margin of error with continuous threats of equipment failures, computer malfunctions, power interruptions and software glitches.
But getting there is the easy part says Regis. "Mars is a dead, cold, barren planet on which no living thing is known to have evolved, and which harbors no breathable air or oxygen, no liquid water and no sources of food, nor conditions favorable for producing any. For these and other reasons it would be accurate to call Mars a veritable hell for living things, were it not for the fact that the planet's average surface temperature is minus 81 degrees Fahrenheit." These are only a few of the many serious challenges that must be overcome before anyone can put human beings on Mars and expect them to live for more than five minutes says Regis. "The notion that we can start colonizing Mars within the next 10 years or so is an overoptimistic, delusory idea that falls just short of being a joke."
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by FatPhil on Tuesday September 22 2015, @04:34PM
What arrogance is it such that you think that humans can and will be immortal?
"Oh noes, our life will come to an end if we don't" is no better reason for believing that we can build vessels that can house entire communities of humans, spiral out of Earth's gravity well, and roam the heavens than it is for believing that we can pray to a god, shuffle off our mortal coil, and go to heaven.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by jdavidb on Tuesday September 22 2015, @04:56PM
What arrogance is it such that you think that humans can and will be immortal?
Well, it may or may not be arrogance. I would say that question is a matter for psychiatrists and psychologists, and if it impacts the person's life in a way they find negative, they can see such professionals and get treated.
But in terms of planning for personal survival, longer life, and longer and better life for one's offspring, I'd say it's completely immaterial. Whether the motivation is arrogance or indigestion or whatever, some people desire to go about the science of figuring out how to live longer and that scientific goal can be pursued whether or not the person pursuing it is afflicted with arrogance or any other personality disorder.
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