Even if medical challenges are overcome (and there is no reason to think that they can't be), the numbers of people who could be lifted into space is trivial compared to the numbers involved in 'over population.' But the relatively small number of people who could be lifted might their begin their own population growth future, this time with enough 'space' to accomodate all, unlike our own planet.
Lawrence de Bivort > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Steve Kurtz > Sent: Friday, December 07, 2001 4:58 PM > To: Futures List; Futures Network; Canadian Futures Mailing List; KZPG > Talk; Sci4PR list; FUTUREWORK > Subject: not so fast! > > > Those calling for interplanetary colonisation as a 'solution' to human > overpopulation might benefit from a reality check. > > From: > WHAT'S NEW Robert L. Park Friday, 07 Dec 01 Washington, DC > > THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY and THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND > Opinions are the author's and are not necessarily shared by the > American Physical Society or the University, but they should be. > > 2. SPACE TRAVEL: THERE ARE A FEW HEALTH PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH. > NASA is making plans for a human mission to Mars in 2014 that > would take 30 months. At the request of NASA, a committee of the > Institute of Health has examined the health issues surrounding > long-duration space missions outside Earth's magnetosphere ("Safe > Passage," National Academy Press, Washington, DC 2001, $80). The > greatest risk is radiation exposure. There are no data on > effects of the high-Z, high-energy particles that flood space and > no suitable experimental facilities on Earth. Nor is there any > way to predict solar outbursts with much higher radiation levels. > Loss of bone density in zero gravity is so severe and NASA's > "countermeasures" so marginally effective, that a mission to Mars > with humans is unlikely to be undertaken unless a biological > solution is found. Most surprising was the importance the report > gives to the risk of psychological and social stress. > =============================== > > Steve Kurtz > -- > http://magma.ca/~gpco/ > http://www.scientists4pr.org/ > Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a > finite world is either a madman or an economist.—Kenneth Boulding >
