Science and Inquiry discussion

One of the book selections for April 2024 is A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? by Kelly Weinersmith.

Please use this thread to post questions, comments, and reviews, at any time.

I haven't read this book yet, but I just came across a review of another book which has an alternate viewpoint.

https://cosmiclog.com/2024/02/29/how-...

I nominated this book. I am already on Chapter 13 and enjoying it. It takes a very realistic, somewhat pessimistic view of settling space but there is a lot of humor mixed in which I really like. If we are to solve the problems involved with building "spomes" then we need to be able to point out that the problems actually exist rather than just glossing over them.

I read it a month or so ago. I've seen two interviews with the authors and I'll post links to them once more people start reading it. I pretty much agreed with most of their arguments. We've seen the progress and capabilites of Mars rovers grow tremendously since Pathfinder in '95. We've even had a helicopter make 70 flights on Mars. How many rovers could we send to Mars for the cost of sending one human? I'm a geology nerd so I understand why there are a lot of people who'd like to go there and see Mars rocks close up. I think of Mars as a bit like Antarctica--a place where we go to do research--not live permanently. I don't yet buy the saving humanity from an existential threat argument. It will be a long, long time before humans can exist on Mars without support from Earth. Better to spend the money on taking better care of Earth.

The authors make the case that even if every bad thing predicted by climate change occurs, the Earth would still be a better place for a human to live. I think there is a comment that the Earth is still better than Mars even if it has werewolves and zombies and nuclear war :-P Their point being that the idea that Mars will save humanity from an existential threat is kind of silly. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be thinking about it and problem solving in service of future generations of space travelers. Future technologies might make Mars an independent habitat. Even so, I agree that we absolutely need to take better care of the Earth!

Yeah, I agree that we should continue doing research that supports space travel. I can't recall whether it was in their book or one of their podcast interviews that they bemoan the fact that the Biosphere II experiments were not continued. And for settlements on Mars they say that one of the most needed areas of research relates to the ability of humans (or other mammals) to reproduce in the Martian environment; e.g. what is the impact of lower than Earth gravity on reproduction?

I have just started reading this and my library loan is due today. There is a long list of people waiting for it, so I have been added to the end of that long queue.

I am just adding a quick note that I am really enjoying the little bit I have read so far. I appreciate the humour that the authors brought to what could have been a stuff subject. The illustrations are a nice touch too.

It is reminding me of the humour in How to Take Over the World: Practical Schemes and Scientific Solutions for the Aspiring Supervillain, which I recommend to others who are enjoying this book.

I will be back to add more thoughts after I have finished the book.

I considered reading this book, but was too far down in the queue at my library. Maybe later.

I think it would be pretty popular at the library still. Luckily, I got my own copy because i've been so busy at work it's taken me forever to read it. I'm hoping to finish it this weekend.

Fraser Cain, host of Universe Today (great website & podcasts) recently interviewed the authors. I enjoyed it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ8sZ...

Oh thanks for the youtube link! I'm already listening.

I just finished this book and I gave it 5 stars. I'm a sucker for sarcastic humor and really bad drawings. I also think they ask a lot of important questions and do a good job of really trying to find the answers, even when there aren't any good answers.

Yeah, I was impressed with both of them. They appear to be very thorough in their research, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is even if some of their audience are not likely to be pleased.

Here's a snippet from the May issue of Astronomy magazine:

"Lettuce grown in simulated microgravity is more prone to salmonella infections, lab tests find. The weaker gravity seems to confuse the leafy greens, leaving its pores open to pathogens that could threaten a mission crew that grows food in space."

This is also my concern with crickets being the main source of protein on Mars. What if the cricket farm got some kind of parasite? You would need to have multiple cricket farms at different locations in separate facilities. Even that redundancy might not be enough if the parasites find rides among the humans.

I'm about halfway through this so far and have been enjoying how it lightheartedly but still thoroughly explores answers to such a wide range of questions and potential scenarios.

I was also impressed with the research that the authors did. This could have been just a pop culture book with very little information and thought put into it. That would have been a disappointment, but more likely than the book they did.

I loved the humour. Muskow made me laugh.