Terraforming Mars

On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 09:06:27 -0500, matty-o wrote:

I remember on an old cartoon called "Darkwing Duck", one of the villans
spliced himself with a tree so he could photosynthesize. I always
thought, "What a great idea!!!!". But, wouldn't you get too fat if you
were into going to the beach all the time?


The idea of humans photosynthesizing has been around for a while,I've
read several science fiction stories - one set on mars I think. I don't
remember the story names, though I think Issac Asimov may have written
one.

As for your 'getting fat' question (The following is guess/deduction): I
doubt it, not from the photosynthesis process anyway. Photosynthesis is
(judging by the fact that plants don't do a lot of moving about) a low
energy food source even though the end product is sugars, as such humans
would probably still need some normal food to continue normal activities.

I think where photosynthesis would be most handy (and what I had in mind
when I made the comment), is a symbiosis of human & plant cells where
the photosynthesis is used by plant cells to create oxygen (as was used by
story referred in paragraph one of this reply) thus minimising/eliminating
the need external oxygen/air cylinders.

"G=EMC^2 Glazier" wrote in message
...
BV Very good question. First I'm trying to stay alive.(that is most
important to me) Second I don't need the money(but would like the fame)
Had a big set back 2 years ago when my very smart friend
Joe died. I'm not good with expressing my thoughts on paper (As you
know). BV I know how important this is. I'm even presenting it here in
hopes that I would be challenged by Columbia U ( they built a tokamak)
Bert PS BV I could have saved columbia U a few billions of dollars.
Good science as I posted makes sure it can't work continually. In stars
gravity takes the place of magnetic field,and man can't create the
strong gravity as in the sun's core. Bert

Forget about the money. If you can make fusion work, I think you have a
moral obligation to do so. The discovery of controlled fusion as a power
source on earth would change everything as we know it.

BV.