The Ethics of Terraforming

If life is discovered on Mars, and I mean actual living bacteria, not just
fossils, will the discovery affect the way we proceed with colonization or
terraforming of the planet? I mean, if Mars is alive and we start bringing
terrestrial plants and various other organisms, wont it be just like
bringing dogs and rabbits to Australia or Kudzu to the US?



In my opinion, it is the same, but I think we should do it anyway. It seems
clear that life will never go beyond the microscopic stage on Mars. Mars is
basically a dead-end as far as life is concerned. So I think that if we
can, we should make whatever use of it benefits humanity. I just think
there are others who will not agree. I think that if some of the upcoming
Martian probes find life there will be a vocal minority who will argue that
we should never send people there (and maybe no more probes) because of the
risk of infecting the existing ecosystem.

Eric Nave wrote:

If life is discovered on Mars, and I mean actual living bacteria, not just
fossils, will the discovery affect the way we proceed with colonization or
terraforming of the planet?

Yes. We might have to nuke it first, to get rid of it.

I mean, if Mars is alive and we start bringing
terrestrial plants and various other organisms, wont it be just like
bringing dogs and rabbits to Australia or Kudzu to the US?

No. Bacteria don't have rights.

Better a green Mars than a dead one.

--
Scott Lowther, Engineer
Remove the obvious (capitalized) anti-spam
gibberish from the reply-to e-mail address

In article ,
Scott Lowther wrote:
Eric Nave wrote:

If life is discovered on Mars, and I mean actual living bacteria, not just
fossils, will the discovery affect the way we proceed with colonization or
terraforming of the planet?

Yes. We might have to nuke it first, to get rid of it.

I don't think that would work, actually. Martian bacteria are
either more adapted to a high radiation environment or live in protective
rock. In fact, de-orbiting Phobos and/or Deimos might not work, depending
on how deep the bacteria go.
--
It's amazing how the waterdrops form: a ball of water with an air bubble
inside it and inside of that one more bubble of water. It looks so beautiful
[...]. I realized something: the world is interesting for the man who can
be surprised. -Valentin Lebedev-

In article ,
Scott Lowther wrote:

Eric Nave wrote:

If life is discovered on Mars, and I mean actual living bacteria, not just
fossils, will the discovery affect the way we proceed with colonization or
terraforming of the planet?

Yes. We might have to nuke it first, to get rid of it.

I mean, if Mars is alive and we start bringing
terrestrial plants and various other organisms, wont it be just like
bringing dogs and rabbits to Australia or Kudzu to the US?

No. Bacteria don't have rights.

Whales and small furry mammals don't generally have rights either, but
lots of people do jump up and down a lot if you try to exterminate them.
:-)

Martian bacteria may not be as photogenic, but exterminating them to
make way for a more Earth-like Mars will probably be just as
controversial.

Better a green Mars than a dead one.

If there *are* bacteria there--LIVE and/or dormant bacteria, that
is--then it would hardly be a "dead" Mars.

--
Stephen Souter

http://www.edfac.usyd.edu.au/staff/souters/

We should not terraform Mars during my lifetime. Future generations won't
care what I think. If there are bacteria, there might be worms or shrimp.
It would take time to fully inventory Martian life. I'll guess that
terraforming will start in 2125.

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 05:37:19 GMT, in a place far, far away, "Mike
Rhino" made the phosphor on my monitor
glow in such a way as to indicate that:

We should not terraform Mars during my lifetime. Future generations won't
care what I think.

What makes you think that current generations do?

--
simberg.interglobal.org * 310 372-7963 (CA) 307 739-1296 (Jackson Hole)
interglobal space lines * 307 733-1715 (Fax) http://www.interglobal.org

"Extraordinary launch vehicles require extraordinary markets..."
Swap the first . and @ and throw out the ".trash" to email me.
Here's my email address for autospammers:

"Rand Simberg" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 05:37:19 GMT, in a place far, far away, "Mike
Rhino" made the phosphor on my monitor
glow in such a way as to indicate that:

We should not terraform Mars during my lifetime. Future generations
won't
care what I think.

What makes you think that current generations do?

That explains why the world's problems haven't been solved yet.

"Mike Rhino" wrote in message
...
"Rand Simberg" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 05:37:19 GMT, in a place far, far away, "Mike
Rhino" made the phosphor on my monitor
glow in such a way as to indicate that:

We should not terraform Mars during my lifetime. Future generations
won't
care what I think.

What makes you think that current generations do?

That explains why the world's problems haven't been solved yet.

Despite abundant worms and shrimp?

Cheers

Steven

Mike Rhino wrote:

"Rand Simberg" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 05:37:19 GMT, in a place far, far away, "Mike
Rhino" made the phosphor on my monitor
glow in such a way as to indicate that:

We should not terraform Mars during my lifetime. Future generations
won't
care what I think.

What makes you think that current generations do?

That explains why the world's problems haven't been solved yet.

Wow. Now THAT's hubris.

Let me guess: "Mike Rhino" is a pseudonym for Al "I created the
Internet" Gore, right?

--
Scott Lowther, Engineer
Remove the obvious (capitalized) anti-spam
gibberish from the reply-to e-mail address

"Rand Simberg" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 05:37:19 GMT, in a place far, far away, "Mike
Rhino" made the phosphor on my monitor
glow in such a way as to indicate that:

We should not terraform Mars during my lifetime. Future generations
won't
care what I think.

What makes you think that current generations do?


What makes you think such an attack is called for?


--
simberg.interglobal.org * 310 372-7963 (CA) 307 739-1296 (Jackson Hole)
interglobal space lines * 307 733-1715 (Fax) http://www.interglobal.org

"Extraordinary launch vehicles require extraordinary markets..."
Swap the first . and @ and throw out the ".trash" to email me.
Here's my email address for autospammers: