The Science - Science Fiction thread

1141517192024

Comments

  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,255
    As you never can when @Thunderfinger brings something up....
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,179
    You're right. I cower in shame. ;-)
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    It is good for doing math in your head.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489


    This Tesla tower complex outside Moscow can, when charged to its peak, deliver electricity to all of Russia.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,255
    So how do you charge it then?
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    With lightning.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
  • Posts: 7,507
    (Reposting this here, as it is probably a more appropriaye thread)

    Anyone else excited by the concept of teraforming Mars? It now seems likely that we will have humans on Mars in the not so distant future, and possibly there will be attempts at colonizing it within our lifetime (depending on your age obviously).

    Should we invest in these ideas of giving Mars a reavakening, or should we stick to solving problems on earth for now? The explorer inside of me sais go for it. Now!

  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,179
    @jobo
    You raise a few interesting questions, sir.

    I don't think we ought to choose for either Mars or Earth, but for both. We'll be on Earth for a long time still, while Mars may slowly become a useful backyard.

    I am excited, even though I think that many more obstacles shall have to be overcome before we can call the Red Planet another "home". :)
  • Posts: 7,507
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    @jobo
    You raise a few interesting questions, sir.

    I don't think we ought to choose for either Mars or Earth, but for both. We'll be on Earth for a long time still, while Mars may slowly become a useful backyard.

    I am excited, even though I think that many more obstacles shall have to be overcome before we can call the Red Planet another "home". :)


    Obviously. It is not about choosing one or the other. The debate is more about "short term" prospects. Should we start our Mars mission now, or wait another 50/100 ish years? There has been made good points and arguments on both sides.

    The process of colonalizing and eventually teraforming the planet is obviously a long term project. It will not be completed in my life time (millenial). Which is regrettable - as I'd love to be around to witness that process and possibly walk on a fully inhabitable Mars with lakes, streams and vegetation... :)
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,255
    We bloody well need to move now if we want to survive on this planet too. Terraforming on Mars will give us the technology to save this planet too, which we're destroying at a terrifying rate...

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/03/runit-dome-pacific-radioactive-waste

  • edited November 2017 Posts: 7,507
    We bloody well need to move now if we want to survive on this planet too. Terraforming on Mars will give us the technology to save this planet too, which we're destroying at a terrifying rate...

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/03/runit-dome-pacific-radioactive-waste


    Heartbreaking! The truly devestating fact about the earth's environmental problem, is that we actually have most of the technology needed to handle the problem, and certainly will have all tools needed in short time with sufficient backing. What lacks is the political will to change. We have individuals and cooperations that find personal wealth and short term profit more important than the fate of the planet. And the society gives them the right to keep on going as they want, corrupting governments and campaigning the lie that climate problem is an invented hoax. It's a horrible testament to the values and stupidity of mankind.

    If just a few of the richest people on the planet put their fortunes together, we could end poverty, deal with climate change AND start sending people to Mars and terraform the planet in a flash! It is not only the fact that they don't want to, but also the realization that society has surrendered to the fact that it "just has to be this way".
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Part of the issue with dealing with the environmental crisis is that humans are inherently incapable of thinking beyond themselves and their own lifetime to care about the later generations that will carry on past them. When they die, the world dies, for all intents and purposes.

    Hell, humans are historically so bad at rationalizing existence, accepting mortality and the the need to look out for future humans that we've invented heaven to tell ourselves that life never ends to avoid thinking about death. With a lack of clarity about the precious shortness of life and what has to be done to take care of people left after we're gone (again, it's hard for people to think that life goes on without them), we're not in a position to stop what should be a salient problem to solve. That, and governments are chained by the balls to industries that demand they alter regulation laws to allow them to continue their environmentally insensitive practices for more $$$ than they know what to do with. Because what does pollution really matter, anyway? "We'll all be dead before the earth is depleted or brought to its planetary end, so why bother worrying about it now" is the thought.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    The first crewed mission to Mars is, according to Elon Musk s plans, to take place in 2024.
  • Posts: 7,507
    Just came over this old video which demonstrates the problem quite well... as well as being hilarious :)

  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,255
    That is actually painful to watch! Are the US representatives that corrupt?
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    In the old Flash Gordon reels, everyone speaks English, on both Mars and Mongo.

    What is the explanation for this? I realize this takes place in an alternate reality, but is there any theory that can shed some light on it?
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,795
    We are about as capable of terraforming the atmo of Mars as we are of causing climate change here on our own planet. So... shake & bake, anyone? ;)
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    In the old Flash Gordon reels, everyone speaks English, on both Mars and Mongo.

    What is the explanation for this? I realize this takes place in an alternate reality, but is there any theory that can shed some light on it?

    All forgeiners speak English. If at first they pretend they don't understand you just need to talk louder.

    I thought that was common knowledge?
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,795
    Hahahahahaha!!!
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,255
    Hell yeah, get that guy to the Netherlands and we've got ourself an Elfstedentocht again!

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elfstedentocht
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    I loved science fiction as a kid. In short, if it was science fiction, I loved it.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,716
    @DarthDimi Some short videos you may like:






  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
  • Posts: 5,993
    The fifties are back :

    https://cnews.fr/france/2018-11-25/un-hoverbard-militaire-presente-dans-le-ciel-de-paris-video-801178

    I doubt that flying platform will have much success. After all, it didn't in the 50s.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,179
    @DaltonCraig007
    Thank you for those videos.

    @4EverBonded
    Thank you for your post. This is a real concern for me. While I strongly believe that we possess the knowledge, skills and willpower to effectively beat climate change, I'm also appaled by conservatives throwing childish logic in the mix to somehow "rest assured" that all is fine with our planet.

    When Donald Trump announced that he wanted to pull America out of the Paris Agreement, I yelled a definitive "that's it!" on Trump's presidency. I won't mince words: Trump's election will prove a shameful setback for mankind in times when only progress must guide us. It's saying a lot that, as with Brexit, it was mostly the frightened elder and the lower educated that voted for this fool. But while fears were manufactured to stigmatise the jews Mexican Immigrants in order to justify the construction of gas chambers ridiculous walls, the truly upsetting threats are continuously played down for the sake of short-term economic benefits. I must emphasise short-term... America will be needing its precious walls when sea levels rise. When even more hurricanes plague the country, when more forests burn to a crisp and more crops are lost, think about your orange saviour, America. Think about the fool who wants to make America 'great again' by returning to a golden age that never was, to times of greater hardship and more misery. Remember when you traded enlightened thinking for cheap demagogy, backwards thinking and prejudice when the suffering of many can be blamed on you and your tribalist thinking, your pride, your slavish adoration of "the flag".

    Nationalism gives birth to nothing but problems. Read a history book, oh proud Trumpers and Brexiters, and point out to me when nationalism has ever actually worked, when rabble-rousers have actually worked to our benefits and those of our offspring. By splintering up into isolated islands and pulling out of global efforts to make a difference, you are pushing us back towards the Middle-Ages.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Yes, Dimi. It is beyond sad and more than alarming now.
  • Posts: 7,653
    The thing is for Trump there is no profit to be made with the climate change, he has always been short term minded and that shows clearly now, and sadly every time he opens his mouth or twitters something to the world.
Sign In or Register to comment.