Terraforming other planets is such a dumb idea. Just build mines and bases and get done with it.
>b-but muh population increase! We need a new planet!
Malthus trap is proven to be false and you can just fix your own planet with such time and effort. Prove me wrong.
>>8142048
>Implying a group of enterprising humans a couple hundred/thousand years from now won't do it just to prove that they can.
>>8142048
Terraforming is only good for extremely long term plans, like 100k+ years. Better short term methods like O'Neil Cylinders can be made and used in the mean time.
>>8142144
+1 for o'neil cylinders. We need megaprojects like that.
>>8142048
>>8142144
terraforming isn't a dumb or inherently long-term idea, it's just that we only have about 50 years of data on earth's climate change on it
a major inhibiting factor is (a) proof of water on mars, (b) accurate measurements of mars's water if it has any (c) proof of life on mars and (d) accurate measurements of life on mars if it is there
basically we need more data
>>8142048
The only reason you need to be convinced to terraform a planet is that you can. If you don't think that changing an entire world to suit yourself is worth it, you must be some kind of vegan faggot
>>8142159
really the entire thing about terraforming is building an environment that liquid water can exist in
>>8142144
>>8142149
o'neil cylinders are more cost effective, can be deployed sooner, faster iteration time to improve on old technology, and the potential for surface area which is literally thousands of times that of a planet if you build enough of them out of asteroids and other crap.
I used to be a huge terraforming proponent. Then, crunching the numbers for o'neil cylinders made me realize it will never be practical by comparison
>>8142164
Yes let's change an entire planet instead of fortifying the one we already have
What a waste of money and research time
>>8142048
>implying we need a reason to terraform
why not just do it because we can? Why not do it because it's fucking rad and only a pretentious cunt would think otherwise?
>>8142171
And a Magnetosphere.
>>8143044
There's probably literally 100 billion barrels of oil on Titan.
We don't *need* to build any offworld projects, nor will we for a long time. UN estimates suggest population growth will slow to inconsequential by 11 billion in 2050 and then take another hundred years to reach 12 billion. We don't *need* anything for the next few hundred years. However, when we spread further throughout the galaxy, we may have the ability to do so, and it'd be useful.
>>8143132
Why would you need space oil?
