In a move that will excite many science fiction fans, a political scientist from Norway has suggested there may be a third way to solve the coming environmental problems of the21st century: Space. He posits that there are two theories for sustainable development. One, Ecologism, aims for a post industrial era of lessened use of carbon and requires a change in the way our current political and social climate works. The other is Environmentalism which aims to keep life much as it is, only using funds to develop, repair and nurture the environment. However, he thinks that by tapping into the resources offplanet, it may be able to solve the Earth’s issues. Reading the brief it seems like very much a political rather than scientific hypothesis but there’s definitely a place for space in the coming time when resources become scarce – we just have to know where to look.
Tag Archives: space
News flash: space germs can kill
From the Department of Science that Scares Me comes this little piece on salmonella sent to space that came back more dangerous than before. The researchers describe it as a mutation that allowed the bacteria to survive in a certain kind of environment – microgravity – that fortuitously allowed them to be more effective (read: deadly) in organisms.
Thanks for giving me something more to worry about. Sheesh!
(via DailyTech)
Next ISS space tourist announced
Space Adventures announces that Richard Garriott will be the next private citizen to travel to space as a tourist.
Garriott’s father was a NASA astronaut, so that makes it a unique flight. Son pays to fly up, dad was part of a giant government project to fly up.
The flight is October 2008, and Garriott already has a website set up where he’ll be chronicling the whole thing.
Heinlein – beyond the books
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This year is definitely Heinlein’s year. We’ve posted here about Heinlein’s centennial birthday, not to mention the digital archiving of his works.
In addition, there was a symposium held in Kansas City, the town Heinlein grew up in. There, speakers discussed Heinlein’s effects on American culture – via book, television and film – as well as less related topics.
I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve always enjoyed his novels, even the ones where he gets a bit preachy with libertarianism. I remember being so excited that Starship Troopers had been made into a film that I was there on opening night, and the ensuing horror at what had been done to such a fine novel (I now loathe Casper van Dien). This article is a good read, as it touches on Heinlein’s ventures into TV and film, neither of which were terribly successful.
(image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons)
Scientists help out SF writers, create list of possible planet types
Doing SF writers’ work for them, a U.S. research team has worked out the properties of a variety of weird planet types that could exist in alien solar systems, including graphite planets and carbon monoxide spheres. Of course, they didn’t do it to help writers (though that would be a fine reason do do such a thing): instead, they hope the models will help astronomers identify the properties of exoplanets they discover in the future.
And yes, say the scientists, weird as these worlds are, some of them could harbour life…though not necessarily Life As We Know It.
(Via New Scientist Space.)
(Illustration: Marc Kuchner/NASA-GSFC via New Scientist Space)
[tags]exoplanets, astronomy, science fiction, space[/tags]