If we rule out life elsewhere in our Solar System, why not seed it ourselves?

[fncceo]

I think it will be a few hundred years before man makes any serious attempt to go into space. When that day comes, it may be worth thinking about.

Of course, ethically, we would have to be 100% certain no life of any kind exists on another planet or moon before we seed our own on it.

We don't do it here so why bother doing it in space?

All life on Earth comes from the same biological origins. Competition between Earth organisms is normal and a vital part of our evolutionary process.

An organism on another planet or moon may very well be of a completely different biological origin.

I get what you are saying. This is what I was referring to. "Of course, ethically,"

It's not ethically wrong to encourage competition between species native to Earth.

Says who?

Says evolution. We owe our very existence to competition between terrestrial organisms.

 

[Erinwltr]

I think it will be a few hundred years before man makes any serious attempt to go into space. When that day comes, it may be worth thinking about.

Of course, ethically, we would have to be 100% certain no life of any kind exists on another planet or moon before we seed our own on it.

We don't do it here so why bother doing it in space?

All life on Earth comes from the same biological origins. Competition between Earth organisms is normal and a vital part of our evolutionary process.

An organism on another planet or moon may very well be of a completely different biological origin.

I get what you are saying. This is what I was referring to. "Of course, ethically,"

It's not ethically wrong to encourage competition between species native to Earth.

Says who?

Says evolution. We owe our very existence to competition between terrestrial organisms.

BS. You personified evolution.

 

[Erinwltr]

Why not seed Europa's oceans with micro-organisms? Why not seed the ice caps of Mars with life? Why not seed the methane oceans of Titan with life?

What is the worst that could happen? Maybe we can even engineer the life we seed on each body in order to benefit ourselves. For example, we genetically engineer bacteria for Mars seeding that converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, leaving hydrocarbon waste for us to use to make energy.

We have plenty of hydrocarbon waste right here in our own country. They're called Democrats.

I think the OP was referring to another planet, or solar system. Take your pick.

Hydrocarbon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[JoeB131]

Why not seed Europa's oceans with micro-organisms? Why not seed the ice caps of Mars with life? Why not seed the methane oceans of Titan with life?

What is the worst that could happen? Maybe we can even engineer the life we seed on each body in order to benefit ourselves. For example, we genetically engineer bacteria for Mars seeding that converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, leaving hydrocarbon waste for us to use to make energy.

Maybe we should take better care of the planet we have before we start screwing with other planets. Just saying

 

[fncceo]

Why not seed Europa's oceans with micro-organisms? Why not seed the ice caps of Mars with life? Why not seed the methane oceans of Titan with life?

What is the worst that could happen? Maybe we can even engineer the life we seed on each body in order to benefit ourselves. For example, we genetically engineer bacteria for Mars seeding that converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, leaving hydrocarbon waste for us to use to make energy.

Maybe we should take better care of the planet we have before we start screwing with other planets. Just saying

Our planet continues to spin, oblivious that we are even on it.

 

[fncceo]

Our planet continues to spin, oblivious that we are even on it.

That's nice. I say we relocate all the Conservatives who aren't concerned about the environment to Venus...

Since the environment clearly doesn't matter to them.

My environment is just peachy ...

Shame about yours.

 

[fncceo]

I say we relocate all the Conservatives who aren't concerned about the environment to Venus...

I'm game ...

 

[Erinwltr]

Why not seed Europa's oceans with micro-organisms? Why not seed the ice caps of Mars with life? Why not seed the methane oceans of Titan with life?

What is the worst that could happen? Maybe we can even engineer the life we seed on each body in order to benefit ourselves. For example, we genetically engineer bacteria for Mars seeding that converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, leaving hydrocarbon waste for us to use to make energy.

Maybe we should take better care of the planet we have before we start screwing with other planets. Just saying

Hi Joe!

 

[Erinwltr]

Why not seed Europa's oceans with micro-organisms? Why not seed the ice caps of Mars with life? Why not seed the methane oceans of Titan with life?

What is the worst that could happen? Maybe we can even engineer the life we seed on each body in order to benefit ourselves. For example, we genetically engineer bacteria for Mars seeding that converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, leaving hydrocarbon waste for us to use to make energy.

Maybe we should take better care of the planet we have before we start screwing with other planets. Just saying

Our planet continues to spin, oblivious that we are even on it.

"Says evolution. We owe our very existence to competition between terrestrial organisms."

What bible did you get that from? I get the science, but you don't have finite answers to this.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Why not seed Europa's oceans with micro-organisms? Why not seed the ice caps of Mars with life? Why not seed the methane oceans of Titan with life?

What is the worst that could happen? Maybe we can even engineer the life we seed on each body in order to benefit ourselves. For example, we genetically engineer bacteria for Mars seeding that converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, leaving hydrocarbon waste for us to use to make energy.

Are you sure we shouldn't seed Uranus first? O.K. Somebody had to say it, and I figured it might as well be me.


Now, about your ideas of playing God, I shudder when I think of the law of unintended consequences.

 

[rightwinger]

We could explore Uranus

 

[fncceo]

We could explore Uranus

Buy me a drink first...

 

[Grumblenuts]

Plant are much more resistant to radiation that animals. Some plants are virtually immune to it.

Crucially, the burden brought by radiation at Chernobyl is less severe than the benefits reaped from humans leaving the area. Now essentially one of Europe’s largest nature preserves, the ecosystem around the wrecked power plant supports more life than before, even if each individual cycle of that life lasts a little less.

In a way, the Chernobyl disaster reveals the true extent of our environmental impact on the planet. Harmful as it was, the nuclear accident was far less destructive to the local ecosystem than we were. In driving ourselves away from the area, we have created space for nature to return.

 

[Oz and the Orchestra]

Our planet continues to spin, oblivious that we are even on it.

That's nice. I say we relocate all the Conservatives who aren't concerned about the environment to Venus...

Since the environment clearly doesn't matter to them.

My environment is just peachy ...

View attachment 378086

Shame about yours.

Why do you have a microwave on the lawn?

 

[Oz and the Orchestra]

Why not seed Europa's oceans with micro-organisms? Why not seed the ice caps of Mars with life? Why not seed the methane oceans of Titan with life?

What is the worst that could happen? Maybe we can even engineer the life we seed on each body in order to benefit ourselves. For example, we genetically engineer bacteria for Mars seeding that converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, leaving hydrocarbon waste for us to use to make energy.

Because the oceans of Europa are already teeming with life: coral, squid, octopus, etc

Are they? I didn't know that - I don't think Nasa even knew that!

 

[fncceo]

Our planet continues to spin, oblivious that we are even on it.

That's nice. I say we relocate all the Conservatives who aren't concerned about the environment to Venus...

Since the environment clearly doesn't matter to them.

My environment is just peachy ...

View attachment 378086

Shame about yours.

Why do you have a microwave on the lawn?

Them hot pockets ain't gonna warm themselves up.

Doi!

 

[ReinyDays]

It might surprise some of you how much research has been done on this ... though the research is focused on how NOT to contaminate other worlds, obviously much needs to be considered on how microbes could survive out there ... and how to keep what's already out there from arriving here ... astrobiology is a thing ...

Seeding other sterile worlds has the problem of these other worlds being sterile ... photosynthesis is fine but where do we get the reduced Nitrogen, organic Phosphorus and Potassium? ... these things wouldn't exist there ... first we'll need the very basic life forms, or perhaps the basic sub-life forms to thrive ... these haven't existed on Earth for billions of years and are unknown to science ...

This is just the "big three" nutrients ... the N-P-K printed on fertilizer bags ... where are we getting organocopper complexes? ... there's maybe 30 or 40 of these micronutrients that we can take for granted here on Earth, any single one of them absent out there and life will not thrive ...

Including atmospheric Oxygen ...

Photosynthesis won't work out there ... that process depends on respiration ... but respiration depends on photosynthesis ... which came first? ... well, fermentation came first and slowly evolved into photosynthesis/respiration over a billion years ... and this evolved at a time the oceans where teeming with life, fermenting their little tiny hearts out ...

Ah ... seed these other worlds with fermenting organisms .. but what will they be fermenting, these worlds are sterile ... what did they ferment here on the early Earth, we do not know, we haven't found any rocks that old yet ... closest we have to so primitive a form of life is in the Alabama Statehouse ...

 

[Oz and the Orchestra]

far future generations.

Far, far, far, far, far, far, far future generations.

Exactly there isn't time. In 65 million years our Sun will become a 'red giant' and destroy much of the solar system.

We need to be investing all our efforts into building 'star ships', self sufficient in food and fuel so as we can go to "infinity and beyond".......well perhaps not quite that far. Indeed any old planet in any old solar system that passes the 'goldilocks test' will suffice

 

[fncceo]

far future generations.

Far, far, far, far, far, far, far future generations.

Exactly there isn't time. In 65 million years our Sun will become a 'red giant' and destroy much of the solar system.

We need to be investing all our efforts into building 'star ships', self sufficient in food and fuel so as we can go to "infinity and beyond".......well perhaps not quite that far. Indeed any old planet in any old solar system that passes the 'goldilocks test' will suffice

In 65 million years, human (if we can still call ourselves that) will no more resemble us than we resemble a sea sponge.

A star ship as we conceive it today would be as primitive flint tools.

Who knows what other Earth species might achieve sentience in that amount of time?

My money is on the dogs.

 

[Oz and the Orchestra]

far future generations.

Far, far, far, far, far, far, far future generations.

Exactly there isn't time. In 65 million years our Sun will become a 'red giant' and destroy much of the solar system.

We need to be investing all our efforts into building 'star ships', self sufficient in food and fuel so as we can go to "infinity and beyond".......well perhaps not quite that far. Indeed any old planet in any old solar system that passes the 'goldilocks test' will suffice

In 65 million years, human (if we can still call ourselves that) will no more resemble us than we resemble a sea sponge.

A star ship as we conceive it today would be as primitive flint tools.

Who knows what other Earth species might achieve sentience in that amount of time?

My money is on the dogs.

View attachment 378141

Way things are progressing, don't think we have much more than 65 years before Earth starts to become uninhabitable, never mind a 'red giant'.

Don't be a smuck - get on the truck!