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Earthbound: The Obstacles to Human Space Exploration and the Promise of Artificial Intelligence
Deep space is a “serial killer”Deep space will be invariably deadly, reveal scientific studies of subjects from cells to humans. Astronauts cannot survive the intense radiation, weightlessness, toxic chemicals, disease, and other hazards beyond Earth orbit. Like old-time serial-circuit Christmas lights, in which losing one bulb extinguished all, a single medical catastrophe will end in astronauts’ death or disability. Any organ—heart, lungs, immune system, brain, or eyes—could fail. And the loss of one spacecraft system—oxygen, temperature, food, water, or radiation protection—will prove lethal.
Nevertheless, NASA and cosmic cheerleaders—politicians, aerospace companies, space travel enthusiasts, and billionaires with space visions—seek to send astronauts into the deadly hell of interplanetary space. They ignore the medical, as well as economic, technological, and political obstacles.
Earthbound instead advocates that deep space be explored by neuronauts—artificially intelligent robots collaborating with scientists. The data they gather could create a Virtual Cosmos enabling all of humanity to experience the wonders of the solar system. Earthbound documents the billions of dollars wasted on human space programs. And it questions whether human deep-space travel is ethical, given its unavoidable hazards.
Nevertheless, NASA and cosmic cheerleaders—politicians, aerospace companies, space travel enthusiasts, and billionaires with space visions—seek to send astronauts into the deadly hell of interplanetary space. They ignore the medical, as well as economic, technological, and political obstacles.
Earthbound instead advocates that deep space be explored by neuronauts—artificially intelligent robots collaborating with scientists. The data they gather could create a Virtual Cosmos enabling all of humanity to experience the wonders of the solar system. Earthbound documents the billions of dollars wasted on human space programs. And it questions whether human deep-space travel is ethical, given its unavoidable hazards.
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Published April 1, 2025
About the author
Dennis Meredith
25 books106 followersDennis Meredith brings to his novels an expertise in science from his career as a science communicator at some of the country's leading research universities, including MIT, Caltech, Cornell, Duke and the University of Wisconsin. He has worked with science journalists at all the nation's major newspapers, magazines, and radio and TV networks and has written well over a thousand news releases and magazine articles on science and engineering over his career.
He has served on the executive board of the National Association of Science Writers and has written numerous articles and guidebooks on science writing and science communication. He has also served as a judge and manager for the NASW Science-in-Society Awards and the AAAS Science Writing Awards.
He was a creator and developer of EurekAlert!, working with The American Association for the Advancement of Science to establish this international research news service, which now links more than 4,500 journalists to news from 800 subscribing research institutions.
In 2007, he was elected as a AAAS Fellow "for exemplary leadership in university communications, and for important contributions to the theory and practice of research communication." In 2012 he was named the year's Honorary Member of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.
He holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Texas (1968) and an M.S. in biochemistry and science writing from the University of Wisconsin (1970).
He is currently writing science articles, non-fiction books and science fiction novels. He also develops and conducts communication workshops for researchers seeking to enhance their communication skills, both professional and lay-level. He has developed workshops for researchers at universities, research foundations, and government agencies and laboratories.
He has served on the executive board of the National Association of Science Writers and has written numerous articles and guidebooks on science writing and science communication. He has also served as a judge and manager for the NASW Science-in-Society Awards and the AAAS Science Writing Awards.
He was a creator and developer of EurekAlert!, working with The American Association for the Advancement of Science to establish this international research news service, which now links more than 4,500 journalists to news from 800 subscribing research institutions.
In 2007, he was elected as a AAAS Fellow "for exemplary leadership in university communications, and for important contributions to the theory and practice of research communication." In 2012 he was named the year's Honorary Member of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.
He holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Texas (1968) and an M.S. in biochemistry and science writing from the University of Wisconsin (1970).
He is currently writing science articles, non-fiction books and science fiction novels. He also develops and conducts communication workshops for researchers seeking to enhance their communication skills, both professional and lay-level. He has developed workshops for researchers at universities, research foundations, and government agencies and laboratories.
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