If humanity can just make it to mars

[The Sum of Awe]

That would give us a longer time frame to develop interstellar travel. Send our human history and wisdom and genes out into the stars. Then... we'll become space monkeys, it'd be hard to get rid of our species completely. We might even last until the end of time.

Well, we'd probably evolve into various different species once we've spread out, but still, I can't see us abandoning the intellectual genes. To carry that on throughout the rest of time would be something divine.

 

[ChristineM]

That would give us a longer time frame to develop interstellar travel. Send our human history and wisdom and genes out into the stars. Then... we'll become space monkeys, it'd be hard to get rid of our species completely. We might even last until the end of time.

Well, we'd probably evolve into various different species once we've spread out, but still, I can't see us abandoning the intellectual genes. To carry that on throughout the rest of time would be something divine.

I read a hypothesis some while ago that entropy will only support life for a tiny fraction of its inexorable progress.

As the universe progresses to disorder there won't be enough available thermal energy to sustain life.

But we are still talking millions of years

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I think you severely underestimate the difficulties involved in colonizing space and becoming independent of Earth...

Don't get me wrong, I think it's possible...but just that it will be very, very difficult...and may not end up in a way that any of us would think of as acceptable...

 

[Soandso]

I don't think Elon Musk will be able to make it happen within our lifetimes, but maybe his son, X Æ A-12, can pick up where he left off and lead the way

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

... but still, I can't see us abandoning the intellectual genes

<>

(I honestly don't know where to start.)​

</>

 

[Gargovic Malkav]

A long time ago, people lived on mars.
They were a highly technologically advanced species, but some huge cataclysmic event happened there which they couldn't stop.
In an attempt to save their species and start over, they've transported some of their progeny to earth.

I got this from a video game, but found it an interesting narrative nonetheless.

 

[Quintessence]

What are "intellectual genes?"

I'll grant I'm not exactly on the forefront of genetics these days (and never was even when I was more active in the field - it wasn't my area of focus) but I've never heard of such a thing.

 

[Viker]

That would give us a longer time frame to develop interstellar travel. Send our human history and wisdom and genes out into the stars. Then... we'll become space monkeys, it'd be hard to get rid of our species completely. We might even last until the end of time.

Well, we'd probably evolve into various different species once we've spread out, but still, I can't see us abandoning the intellectual genes. To carry that on throughout the rest of time would be something divine.

We could become.... like gods.

 

[sayak83]

That would give us a longer time frame to develop interstellar travel. Send our human history and wisdom and genes out into the stars. Then... we'll become space monkeys, it'd be hard to get rid of our species completely. We might even last until the end of time.

Well, we'd probably evolve into various different species once we've spread out, but still, I can't see us abandoning the intellectual genes. To carry that on throughout the rest of time would be something divine.

We could have semi-permanent bases on Moon and Mars with say 10-15 research personnel living for 1-3 years as there are in Antarctica now by the end of 21st century. That could be augmented by a large population of semi-autonomous AI based robots in various sectors of interest. Colonization does not look feasible currently. We should start by trying to colonize the Sahara desert and other arid deserts maybe.

 

[RestlessSoul]

 

[Mock Turtle]

Although the prospect of travelling to possible livable worlds is so immensely attractive as an adventure, even as to simply exploring whatever there is out there and perhaps using what resources could be available, I think we really need to look after our Earth and make our lives far more stable and equitable before we embark on such enterprises. Given we are just as likely to export our issues into space and the money spent will be a drain on what we could spend looking after Earth and the humans/other life living here.

 

[Heyo]

But we are still talking millions of years

Your estimate is way off, it's more like trillions, not even just billions.

 

[Heyo]

That would give us a longer time frame to develop interstellar travel. Send our human history and wisdom and genes out into the stars. Then... we'll become space monkeys, it'd be hard to get rid of our species completely. We might even last until the end of time.

Well, we'd probably evolve into various different species once we've spread out, but still, I can't see us abandoning the intellectual genes. To carry that on throughout the rest of time would be something divine.

Not a bad idea to colonise space but we should stop thinking that planets are a good idea. Earth was useful as it has a somewhat liveable environment. Other planets don't have that. But they have gravity like Earth has and some have an atmosphere, two things that are in the way of expanding into space.
Space stations are the way to go. We could get resources from moons and asteroids for the building. On a station you can control all the conditions, from weather to gravity. And it wouldn't be much more expensive. You'd need almost all the tech on Mars, too, climate control, pressurized environment, energy and food production. A station in orbit gets sunlight almost all the time not only half of the time as on a planet. And stations can be moved.

 

[Twilight Hue]

That would give us a longer time frame to develop interstellar travel. Send our human history and wisdom and genes out into the stars. Then... we'll become space monkeys, it'd be hard to get rid of our species completely. We might even last until the end of time.

Well, we'd probably evolve into various different species once we've spread out, but still, I can't see us abandoning the intellectual genes. To carry that on throughout the rest of time would be something divine.

Mars is pretty hostile. It's going to take awhile.

 

[Heyo]

Oh, space colonisation thread = mandatory link to
https://www.youtube.com/@isaacarthurSFIA

Especially recommended, the "Upward Bound" series:

 

[ChristineM]

Your estimate is way off, it's more like trillions, not even just billions.

We'll see

 

[PureX]

That would give us a longer time frame to develop interstellar travel. Send our human history and wisdom and genes out into the stars. Then... we'll become space monkeys, it'd be hard to get rid of our species completely. We might even last until the end of time.

Well, we'd probably evolve into various different species once we've spread out, but still, I can't see us abandoning the intellectual genes. To carry that on throughout the rest of time would be something divine.

At the moment that "intelligence gene" is about to wipe us out by destroying the only place in the solar system we can live. Apparently because we're just too selfish and greedy not to. So I guess it's a good thing we can't get to Mars or beyond. We'd only destroy it, anyway.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I read a hypothesis some while ago that entropy will only support life for a tiny fraction of its inexorable progress.

As the universe progresses to disorder there won't be enough available thermal energy to sustain life.

But we are still talking millions of years

Maybe. Questions remain.

 

[ChristineM]

Maybe. Questions remain.

Its a hypothesis that makes sense to me, without thermal energy we are non existent.

Thought in science there are always questions

 

[Brickjectivity]

Its a hypothesis that makes sense to me, without thermal energy we are non existent.

Thought in science there are always questions

I just hate to leave it at that. I am a futurist.