Ian Korman's Astrobiology, Terraforming, and Space Colonization Webpage

I have scoured the Internet for interesting links about Astrobiology, Terraforming, and Space Colonization. I hope that other find this collection of links useful. If you know of some great links to add please drop me a note at ian@kormanworld.net .

• Short introduction to Astrobiology and Terraforming.
• Some Definitions
• Re-Engineering Humanity
• The ethics of manipulating life and the solar system
• Complete categorized list of links with individual synopsis
  • Astrobiology
  • Terraforming
  • Space Colonization
• Recommended Books

The colonization of space is vital to the continued expansion and advancement of the human race . We are the dominant species on Earth and the most successful. Staying confined to the Earth hinders the potential of the success of our species though.

The survival of the human race is also jeopardized by not colonizing space . There are many reasons for this:

1. Disease vectors could wipe out the human race if it is confined to a single biosphere. There are already viruses on this planet with the potential to wipe out the human race.
2. We know for a fact that numerous times in the Earth's history there have been catastrophic events that have wiped out the majority of the planets species. Probability is this will happen again.
3. The success of the human race could be our own downfall. Overpopulation is a threat or the Earth could be made uninhabitable or inhospitable to us by our own actions.

Colonization of parts of space beyond the Earth will provide humans with a multitude of opportunities, access to virtually unlimited resources, and open roads to new avenues of research in addition to helping ensure our survivability. It is our survivability and further propagation as a race that I am most concerned about.

The human race is biologically designed to live on the Earth . If the human race is to live and survive in places other than the Earth then an Earth-like (Terra-like) environment needs to be created. (See Re-Engineering Humanity section below)

The colonization of space is reliant upon terraforming in which astrobiology is a vital science. I have listed short definitions of these concepts below.

Astrobiology is simply the study of life as it exists throughout the cosmos. Currently, this only covers the study of Earth life. However, it also involves the exploration for and hypothesis about non-terrazzo life.

Terraforming is simply the creation of an Earth-like environment beyond the Earth itself. Generally, this is thought of as making another planet Earth-like. This can also be more widely interpreted as the creation of an Earth-like environment on other celestial bodies or in an artificial spacecraft.

Space Colonization is simply the habitation by people of environments other than the Earth. The International Space Station basically is the first space colony. However, some people consider a space colony as a permanent establishment and even possibly self-sustaining.

As I pointed out earlier, the human race has evolved to live on Earth. Creating Earthlike conditions of atmosphere, gravity, sun exposure, and planet rotation somewhere else is the universe is a huge endeavor and will take a very long time. With advances in medicine, genetic engineering and technological augmentation of humans it appears more likely that the future of humans in space will be one of self-evolution of our species. Humanity will use science and technology to make the human body more capable of existing in space and on non-Earth-like planets. This will allow more of space to be inhabited by humans with less time and resources having to be spent on adapting the environment to provide Earth-like conditions.

Since many (if not most) visions of long-term habitation of space by humans are made with our current physical limitations in mind they are fundamentally flawed. Although this would cover most visions of terraforming I still believe the pursuit of the science of terraforming is crucially important. However, I think making environments more hospitable to carbon-based life will be the goal of the future and no one will go to the effort of making another planet earth-like in order to support humans as we exist on Earth today. Even such things as ships with artificial gravity don't seem to me to be of any practical purpose.

What about the ethics of genetically altering life or changing the ecosystem of a planet? Well, I think each of us will have to answer the ethical questions on their own. Here are some things to think about:

• Humans have been controlling the genetic destinies of plants, animals, and even ourselves almost since our start as a species. We have done this through such sciences as medicine and biotechnology. Selective breeding is definitely a form of biotechnology. Many people are concerned about the genetic engineering of plants, animals, and even humans. Isn't genetic engineering just an extention of biotechnology? Is science in itself unethical?
• Man does not have the natural ability to fly. Is it ok for him to create a machine so he can fly? Is it ok for him to genetically alter himself to give him wings and hollow bones so he can fly without a machine?
• If you have Judeo-Christian beliefs then you probably believe this from the Bible, "Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.'”(Genesis 1:26) Does this extend to the whole Universe? I am not Christian so here is an article from a Christian magazine to read about genetics that those of you who are may find interesting: Genetic Modification: Playing God or Pleasing God?

Following is a list of books I have read related to astrobiology, terraforming, and space exploration which I highly recommend.