Humans Will Never Colonize Mars

[mirth]

https://gizmodo.com/humans-will-never-colonize-mars-1836316222

[bayonetbrant]

https://gizmodo.com/humans-will-never-colonize-mars-1836316222

well, that was cheerful

[BanzaiCat]

Clearly the author needs to play more Terraforming Mars. 

[mirth]

https://gizmodo.com/humans-will-never-colonize-mars-1836316222

well, that was cheerful

Seemed like a realistic appraisal.

[bbmike]

Yeah. We shouldn't even try.

[Barthheart]

Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go there.

[mirth]

Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go there.

Wasn't the point the author was making. He considers it likely that we will have bases/outposts on Mars, but not large colonies as is often predicted.

[Barthheart]

Colonization of another planet is so far out of our current possibilities that we can’t imagine it ever happening.
But in the 1600s flight was thought of the same way for the same reasons. Shit when steam engines came along no one thought the human body could survive going faster than 30 mph.
In 400 years, if the race is still around, who knows what we’ll be able to do.
Adversity and curiosity are the mothers of human invention and innovation. As long as there’s a drive there will be those that try and eventually those that succeed.

[Barthheart]

Ok now I’ve read the article. Basically a negative attitude but says what I said above.... no time soon. But I strongly believe the human race will do it... eventually.

That’s my only disappointment in dying in 25-30 years is not being able to see the future...

[mirth]

I didn't see at as negative. More like a realistic appraisal. He makes compelling arguments. People climb Everest, but they don't stay to live. We have a few outposts in Antarctica, but we aren't building towns there. Both locations are more hospitable than Mars and easier for us to reach.


Anyway, I thought it was a well written piece with a different take than what you get from the Elon Musks of the world talking about how we'll have colonies on Mars in the next hundred years or so.

[mirth]

50 years ago everyone thought we'd have moon bases by now. Instead humans haven't been back at all for almost a half century.

[bbmike]

I thought the Germans built a base there during WWII. 

[mirth]

I thought the Germans built a base there during WWII. 

Stay put. A black helicopter is en route to you.

[Barthheart]

50 years ago everyone thought we'd have moon bases by now. Instead humans haven't been back at all for almost a half century.

And personal flying cars....

There will always be people who want things to happen faster than is possible but those people are necessary for any progress at all.
That’s why I found it negative. Poo pooing people like Elon Musk for dreaming big. He knows it likely won’t happen but it definitely won’t if no one tries.

Now that commercial interests have taken to space flight I think we’ll see a lot more advancement in the next 20 years than the last 50.

[mirth]

Now that commercial interests have taken to space flight I think we’ll see a lot more advancement in the next 20 years than the last 50.

I don't disagree with that. I'm not sure what about Mars would make it commercially viable for colonization versus a few manned outposts for research.


Even if there are resources on Mars for commercialization, they could probably be best extracted by robots without the need for colonies.