[Interview+] 3 Key Technologies to Start Terraforming Mars in Our Lifetime

So we really should look at moving Mars closer to the sun. That would make getting there much easier and add to the thermal input as well. How close could we bring it without significantly disturbing Earth’s orbit?

I appreciate the ideals behind carefully approaching Mars in case there is indigenous life. However, that will only be possible until the first government or corporation that cannot be forced by everyone else to adhere to that philosophy chooses to ignore it and unilaterally does whatever they want. After that an irreversible decision will be made for humanity whether we like it or not. Today’s example on Earth: Most of the nations could decide to stop burning fossil fuels entirely. But if one or more nations refuse to join in and accelerate burning fossil fuels (probably then ridiculously cheap), and all the available oil gets burned up and dumped in the atmosphere, the result will be the same as if everyone had continued to anyway. The lowest denominator ends up deciding for all.

Pretty clear Mars is sterile. So ‘game on’ for terraforming. The next step will be ‘rock rights’?!

I wonder if there might possibly be even some sort of microbial life there...

Very nice interview! Thanks!

There's no evidence of existing life on Mars just waiting to be "warmed up". The problem I have with these futuristic theories is that they ignore the 2nd Law, it doesn't just apply to heat engines but to all processes in the universe including biological ones. Energy in and work plus waste energy out imposes a limit on the efficiency and performance of all systems everywhere. I don't doubt that we could make microbes that would just about survive on Mars but the idea that they could terraform it in anytime less that millions of years is unrealistic. Here on Earth it took billions of years of microbial hard graft to create an environment suitable for higher animals and plants to evolve. Mars receives only a quarter of the sunlight, where's the energy for terraforming to come from?

I'm going to be thinking about the phrase "self replicating chemistry robots" for a while.

Best interviews in the universe! That we know of 😁

I always use example of Polynesian culture as a practical case of why we must expand to other planets and beyond, in part for the purpose of saving Earth's habitability. Polynesian culture emerged on small islands with limited resources. Yet, they realised that usage of a part of those resources to propagate further is what Nature demands. For all purposes they still thrive. But for one group which paid severe price for stopping the expansion - Easter Island. They developed rich culture but, you can't control the Nature or Human Nature. By the time action was needed, resources required to expand were gone and downhill up to cannibalism... Evolutionary forces dictate to spread, multiply, find new habitats and adapt to them. That's life.

I enjoyed this interview, Thank you. I also understand that it is what some may consider far-fetched; however, at the end of the day (pardon the pun) these are the ideas that will bring more ideas, conversation, research and funding. Mars sucks, but one day you (humans) may have to live there. Thank you, Dr. Erika for your hard work and inquisitiveness in our awesome planet and people who (with your hard work) will help us grow on another planet. As we will have to, give or take 500 years lol

Youmans have treated a blue planet like hell. How can we agree to terraform another planet? How can we agree to make Earth inhabitable ⁉️