Space Elevator...Beam me up Scottie!!

[Darth Mandarb]

I didn't say anything about evolution stopping because we start building things.  That makes no sense at all (just by itself) and even less sense as some form of opposing opinion to what I said.

As far as "blow[ing up] space rocks" will have an impact on ... something.  Yeah, only the continued survival of our species.  Totally unimportant I know.

However, blow[ing up] space rocks is not the way to go if an object is on a collision course with the earth.  You risk turning one large object into potentially millions of objects still heading toward the Earth.  The best idea would be to "push" the object off its path.  If we find it early enough (which would be more likely if we are exploring space as we should be) we'd only have to nudge it slightly which would alter its path enough to make it miss the planet.

Or we can ignorantly sit around doing nothing.  It is easier that way. 

Maybe we could pray for the space rock to miss us?

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Wow Darth, you're really starting to creep me out by how much you're sounding like m0ds.  Do you often lie awake at night dreading the approach of some shadowy death asteroid or comet?  Seriously, I think obsessing on such issues is just another reason why humans think they're the center of everything.  We always think (or want to) that the world is going to end in our lifetimes, just look how long the Nostradamus hoax bullshit has perpetuated!

I fully agree that more space tech would be good, but not because I'm afraid of asteroids!  Actually, I'd just like to have my own tricked out spaceship with flames painted on that I could jet around in and do moon flybys on my way to PizzaMeteor for a large 3-topping and a Comet Shake.  Shame it won't happen at our current rate of advancement for 200 years or more (and I'm being optimistic).  Could you imagine how awesome a space drive-in would be?


SPACE CAPITALISTS:  THE MOVIE!

[Lufia]

The continued survival of our species for... ten years ? Till the next pandemic strikes ?

Keeping humans around for million of years. Yeah. lol
By that time, "human" will be the common ancestor between the snorxs and the cthulhus. Or just be plain extinct.

Oh, I'm all for exploring space. We fucked up the earth's ecosystem, it'd be sad to stop at just one planet. But "the Earth's days are numbered" and "the human race will survive into the far future"... The far future is further away than that.

[Darth Mandarb]

I do not obsess, worry, or stay up nights worrying about an asteroid hitting the planet. However it is going to happen at some point in the future (probably not in any of our lifetimes) but it will happen again and the more prepared we are (advancing space exploration) the better.

I'm posting from my phone and it sucks a bit. I'll post more when I get home.

[ThreeOhFour]

Actually, I'd just like to have my own tricked out spaceship with flames painted on that I could jet around in and do moon flybys on my way to PizzaMeteor for a large 3-topping and a Comet Shake.

I will race you to PizzaMeteor in my spaceship with racing stripes and the number 304 painted on when this time comes. Last one there buys the shakes!

As for meteors and stuff hitting Mr Space Elevator, I am aware there are tons of little rocks and stuff zipping around up there like mosquitos in Uncle Randy's swamp (otherwise how else could you see so many dang shooting stars?) but there's loads of satellites floating around up there. Surely if having satellites is ok and fine then a space elevator would be fairly safe as well?

Of course, if you're 3/4 of the way up to space when the one in a million asteroid does hit the elevator, you're going to need a parachute.

Or you know, ProgZ and I could come and do cool action movie rescue scenes with our tricked out spaceships  

Edit: While listening to Van Halen and Whitesnake on our holodisk players, of course!  8)

[Wonkyth]

What do you mean, holodisk player?
I want my own clone of the beetles, thanks!

[ThreeOhFour]

What do you mean, holodisk player?
I want my own clone of the beetles, thanks!

Yeah but a clone of David Lee Roth running around my spaceship?

That's just asking for trouble!

[Calin Leafshade]

The fact of the matter is that statistically we are overdue for a big asteroid strike.

Also we  actually monitor very little of the skies for asteroids.

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that a large asteroid hits the earth within our life time.

Saying its unlikely to happen is like playing russian roulette. Its true that we will probably not have to deal with it but the consequences of not preparing are too great to ignore and its not the kind of thing we could rustle up a solution for on short notice.. we need a plan in place and an alternative human base is a good plan.

[Wonkyth]

The advantage of playing Russian roulette with the entire human race is that you cant comparatively lose... :

[m0ds]

They have a winning team now, but I can't remember if it's the James May team who were featured or not!!! This article claims they won 900,000 dollars, the other says 2 mil?  

http://www.godlikeproductions.com/news/Breaking_News/15265-Seattle_Team_Wins__900_000_In_Space_Elevator_Contest

Edit - oh, it's a purse. A bit like in Tiger Woods PGA 2004.

[Domino]

An attempt by the Kansas City Space Pirates on Wednesday fell short of the speed requirement and got stuck partway up the cable during a Friday climb attempt. A climber built by the University of Saskatchewan Space Design Team was unable to compete during the three-day contest because of a series of technical glitches, NASA officials said.

Damn, Space Pirates!! How could they screw this up?

Thanks for the info Mods.  A very good read.

[Snake]

I do get it though.  Pessimism is easier than optimism.  It's easier to adopt a negative attitude.  I think it's probably a way to protect against disappointment.

Absolutely true. I was a pessimist for over seven years of my life, and it was certainly a way to protect against dissapointment.
I also second everything you are saying.

Do you often lie awake at night dreading the approach of some shadowy death asteroid or comet?

No, but I worry about a black hole wandering our way. There's absolutely NOTHING we'll be able to do about it either. Hide in your basement? There will be no basement. We WILL cease to exist. *
Had a dream about that recently... woke up sweating and scared shitless at three in the morning. It was the most intense dream I had ever had.


* unless it instantaneously transports us to a parallel universe, that is.

[Matti]

but I worry about a black hole wandering our way.
(...)
Had a dream about that recently... woke up sweating and scared shitless at three in the morning. It was the most intense dream I had ever had.

Really? What an odd thing to dream about...

Perhaps you shoudn't watch those stupid Roland Emmerich movies..

[TerranRich]

There was a program on one of the educational channels (History, Discovery, et al) that featured the Top 10 ways the Earth would be destroyed (and no we can't do it ourselves). It was something to think about, but I wouldn't say I dream about such things.

[Domino]

Hey TerranRich, what are the top 10 ways the Earth gets destroyed without our help?

I do not have cable anymore and can't watch my favorite shows on those channels.

I would like to see that list.

Thanks,

Shawn

[TerranRich]

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DhbpAttWPA
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr5QsjNRhaI
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMAKWpO-SoY
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z2Jwd2tCdI
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKAbZgMm-JA

Summary:

10. "Smackdown From Space" - Mars' orbit changes and impacts the Earth
9. "The Big Freeze" - Earth moves away from the sun
8. "The Big Burn" - Earth moves closer to the sun
7. "Stopping the Spin" - Earth's rotation completely stops
6. "Torn Between Two Black Holes" - Earth gets stuck between two small black holes, stretching it out
5. "Devoured From Within" - Earth suddenly has a black hole in its core
4. "Turn Off the Gravity" - Earth's gravity mysteriously vanishes, and we all float away
3. "Anti-Matter Annihilation" - 100,000,000,000,000 tons of antimatter hits the Earth (enough to destroy it)
2. "Transformed by Strange Matter" - One particle of strange matter touches something on the Earth, transforming the entire planet into strange matter. (I had never heard of strange matter before I watched this show, and this particular one amazed me.)
1. "When Parallel Worlds Collide" - A parallel universe interacts with ours, destroying not just the Earth, but both universes

What's amazing is that there's a realistic explanation of how each one could very well happen in real life, for the most part.

This show is packed with tons of explanations of 'branes (the theoretical separation of parallel universes and possible explanation for the Big Bang), the basic forces of physics, quarks and strange matter, and other various topics. Awesome show.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

But maybe the strange matter will randomly give people super powers, and then it's like Heroes (only decent)!

As for asteroids and the recent fear mongering mega-craze, all I can say is you should petition NASA to build a giant cowboy robot with a lasso so he can ride the asteroid safely towards the sun, a futuristic Dr. Strangelove if you will.

[Calin Leafshade]

As for asteroids and the recent fear mongering mega-craze, all I can say is you should petition NASA to build a giant cowboy robot with a lasso so he can ride the asteroid safely towards the sun, a futuristic Dr. Strangelove if you will.

Thats the spirit!

Also humans will never have to face pandemics, earthquakes, volcanoes or global warming! Let's just ignore them and save a little money. Let the human race deal with it later. oh, they can't? tough shit.. i saved 10$ on my tax bill.

[Jim Reed]

Mars Triology by Kim Stanely Robinson (an sf book) uses the space elevator idea on Mars. Someone blows it up, so they build another haha!

I'm more in favor of the cartwheel design by Michael Z. Williamson in his book "Freehoold", where they build a giant rotating wheel/space station that has the outer rim of it in space and the atmosphere. Coupled with a huge linear railway up a steep mountain with rocket propelled launch at the top, I think maybe it could work.

But, not in the near future IMO.

[Wonkyth]

the outer rim of it in space and the atmosphere.

Does that mean I could bungee off it?