Reaching For the Sun Gets You Burned
Some people think that these dreams of colonizing other planets are just science fiction. In their opinion, not only is the technology not here now, it won't be here in the foreseeable future. They argue that those who think that we can conquer Mars in the next few decades are suffering from too much hubris and that like Icarus of mythological fame, if we stretch our technology too far, too soon, we risk crashing back to Earth.
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Image of mouse fetuses from Japanese study on the effects of low gravity on mammalian pregnancy. |
Non-Earth Means Non-Hospitable
Perhaps humans are not built for space. We evolved on Earth, so many parts of our biology are not well suited to life beyond Earth. Even with the help of advanced technology, many scientists argue that the formation of stable civilizations on other planets is inherently impossible at least in the foreseeable future.
For example, while limited research has been done, it appears that fetal development is significantly impaired in low gravity situations. This conclusion is supported by a 2009 study conducted by Japanese scientists which found that for mice, while fertilization occurred normally in low gravity, problems tended to develop later on in the pregnancy. Some mice were born normally, but at lower rates than usual. The scientists concluded that, "Sustaining life beyond Earth either on space stations or on other planets will require a clear understanding of how the space environment affects key phases of mammalian reproduction." |
In addition, astronauts often experience health problems associated with being in space for long periods of time, in particular weakened bones and muscles. Permanent colonists might weaken so much that they will be unable to safety return to the stronger gravity of Earth, and other unforeseen consequences might arise. Ultimately, our biology is not designed for extraterrestrial environments, making colonization impractical or maybe even impossible.