Re: Immortality and Resources

Michael Lorrey (retroman@tpk.net)
Tue, 28 Jan 1997 20:42:49 -0500


Tony Csoka wrote:
>
> I am all for research into aging and achieving biological immortality as
> soon as possible. However, I see the primary problem, apart from the huge
> technical hurdles that will have to be orvercome, as a potential
> population explosion.
> A possible solution to the population explosion would be migration into
> space, beginning with the terraformation and inhabitation of Mars and
> Venus.
> My question is short and simple: How much would it cost in US$ to
> terraform Mars, and who would pay?
> Is it technically and economically feasible for such projects to begin
> before 2100, by which time I think immortality will be within reach?
>
> Tony Csoka

According to Dr. Robert Zubrin, Mars can be terraformed to a point where
it has a carbon dioxide and CFC atmosphere of around 1 bar atmospheric
pressure within a 20-30 year period. Within 100 years, with further
work, it could have a CO2, O2, and CFC atmosphere of between 0.6-1.0 bar
with an average equatorial temperature of 50 deg F, and an ocean of 1000
km^2 with an average depth of several hundred feet. What the cost would
be is very difficult to estimate at this time, but to pay for it, just
imagine the value of a piece of real estate the size of Asia with a
climate similar to Calgary or Lhasa. Immigration fees, property sales,
and head taxes would pay for it.

-- 
TANSTAAFL!!!

Michael Lorrey ------------------------------------------------------------ President retroman@tpk.net Northstar Technologies Agent Lorrey@ThePentagon.com Inventor of the Lorrey Drive Silo_1013@ThePentagon.com

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