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Star Ark: A Living, Self-Sustaining Spaceship [book review]
universetoday.com ^ | 11 Aug , 2017 | Mark Mortimer

Posted on 08/11/2017 10:15:15 AM PDT by BenLurkin

Yes, many people want to travel to other stars....Yet making preparations and doing judicious planning is the aim of this book. Wisely though, this book isn’t technical. It has no mention of specific impulse calculations or ion shields. Rather, this book takes a very liberal view of space travel and ponders deep questions such as whether the cosmos is an ecosystem.

Does our species have an appropriate culture for space travel? What exactly is a human? These concerns get raised in some very thought provoking sections. And given that the editor is an architect and one who apparently considers the emotional qualities of a structure as much as functional qualities, then this book’s presentation tends to be a little more on the philosophical side of things.

In particular, it looks at the benefits of living entities. For instance it notes that humans live in symbiotic relationships with a host of internal and external organisms. Most have already gone into space either within people who have traveled in space or possibly upon probes sent to other planets. So we aren’t the only species that’s traveled beyond Earth. But which beings are sufficient and necessary to keep humans alive for the generations needed to travel to another star? That question and many answers come up often.

As well, the essays get into bigger questions such as: What is life? Could the vessel be an organic construct? How might today’s humans evolve to tomorrow’s star travelers? Should humans travel in space and promote/continue panspermia? Yes, these questions and many more are raised in the essays collected within this book. And true to form for any book considering star travel, there aren’t any strict answers. There are however lots of ideas and concepts to better prepare humans.

(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...


TOPICS: Books/Literature
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1 posted on 08/11/2017 10:15:15 AM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

This would be my ship and only those beautiful women I choose to go with me. No other questions need to pondered or asked.


2 posted on 08/11/2017 10:27:02 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: BenLurkin

The Starlost series comes to mind.


3 posted on 08/11/2017 10:30:41 AM PDT by wally_bert (I didn't get where I am today by selling ice cream tasting of bookends, pumice stone & West Germany)
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To: BenLurkin

4 posted on 08/11/2017 10:33:29 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it.)
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To: wally_bert

Excellent series and concept. ‘Wish it’d been continued.


5 posted on 08/11/2017 10:37:07 AM PDT by Does so ("PARIS" is like OPEC, except We're Winning!)
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To: BenLurkin

To live in space, humans will basically need to create artificial ecosystems that duplicate all the conditions necessary for life, but on a small scale. It won’t be able to handle extinction events like a large one can. One failure and it’s doomed.


6 posted on 08/11/2017 10:48:32 AM PDT by Telepathic Intruder
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To: Telepathic Intruder

Or one Muslim on board and it’s doomed...


7 posted on 08/11/2017 10:53:37 AM PDT by bigmak007 (They who can't control their own passions, want to passionately control others.)
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To: Telepathic Intruder

[ To live in space, humans will basically need to create artificial ecosystems that duplicate all the conditions necessary for life, but on a small scale. It won’t be able to handle extinction events like a large one can. One failure and it’s doomed. ]

You can store seeds and extra food supplies to get you by in case you have the artificial bio-sphere have an ecological collapse. Ideally you could have several ships flying in formation ( keeping about 50,000 miles distance between each one ) and have them so they can are running at say 75% capacity for 5 ships so you can always evacuate one ship to the others while you re-pair / fix the broken ship.

but yeah, it is hard to take shelter underground if there is no “underground”, though if you are using ships built into small asteroids you could be fairly robust.


8 posted on 08/11/2017 10:53:51 AM PDT by GraceG ("It's better to have all the Right Enemies, than it is to have all the Wrong Friends.")
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To: BenLurkin

9 posted on 08/11/2017 10:57:56 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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To: Red Badger

What is it with sci-fi, advanced technology... and robes?


10 posted on 08/11/2017 11:01:32 AM PDT by bar sin·is·ter (Climate Scientology - another example of science fiction morphing into a religious cult)
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To: bar sin·is·ter

They are cheap.......................


11 posted on 08/11/2017 11:05:56 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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To: BenLurkin

That book sounds like a real POS, written by Gaia-loving asteroid huggers.


12 posted on 08/11/2017 11:10:44 AM PDT by sparklite2 (I'm less interested in the rights I have than the liberties I can take.)
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To: Red Badger
"Obi Wan... where did you get those fine robes?"

"We make it for him Jedi round eye!"


13 posted on 08/11/2017 11:12:22 AM PDT by bar sin·is·ter (Climate Scientology - another example of science fiction morphing into a religious cult)
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To: bar sin·is·ter

I thought the same thing. And whatever’s in that pocket, I don’t want to know.


14 posted on 08/11/2017 11:12:46 AM PDT by sparklite2 (I'm less interested in the rights I have than the liberties I can take.)
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To: BenLurkin

Isn’t that what earth is?


15 posted on 08/11/2017 11:15:28 AM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: bar sin·is·ter

16 posted on 08/11/2017 11:17:55 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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To: bar sin·is·ter

The SPICE MUST FLOW..................

17 posted on 08/11/2017 11:20:48 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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To: Red Badger
"Your nipples are showing my dear...."


18 posted on 08/11/2017 11:22:01 AM PDT by bar sin·is·ter (Climate Scientology - another example of science fiction morphing into a religious cult)
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To: Telepathic Intruder
I can see the possibility of advanced propulsion systems but I think the major obstacle would be creating artificial gravity.......

I don't think the human body could survive in a non gravity environment for a life span.........

19 posted on 08/11/2017 11:24:55 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco
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To: bar sin·is·ter

20 posted on 08/11/2017 11:25:17 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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