posted on March 13, 2002 10:28:16 AM new
This discussion was going on at the post office when I went this morning, and I thought it was interesting. So, heres the scenario the folks in line were talking about:
Ice was found on mars recently. Finding ice means water which means life. Say we (the USA) starts a colony on Mars and asks for folks to go live there for a year minimum, or they can stay as long as they like after that. You would have to help build shelters, living quarters, etc. You would not be paid for these services, nor would you have to pay rents or purchase food. It would all be supplied. You can take your immediate family, i.e. spouse/children, but not parents, cousins, aunts or uncles, etc. You are allowed only one suitcase per person. Would you go?
posted on March 13, 2002 10:49:58 AM new
I am too old and not fit but as a younger man I would have jumped at it if they would guarantee four other things - air - water - communucations - and a large section of land.
Transit time alone would probably be over a year so a more reasonable commitment would be for about 5 years.
You are in a totally atificial environment similar but worse than antarctica so you would have to really trust your organizing agency not to abandon you.
posted on March 14, 2002 03:07:22 PM new
No way... living on Mars would suck. It might be novel for the first few weeks, but after that I'd miss the sky, the trees, the water, everything but the traffic on Earth.
posted on March 14, 2002 06:28:03 PM new
Rainy Bear - I am betting that in a whole new world there is plenty of beauty to discover. When I took my wife to the desert she was expecting to not like it but was surprised at all there was to see. Then when I took her out in the swamp she was sure it would be ugly and no fun. Except when I took her a little too close to a 9 foot gator she loved it. She was not happy to look in his yellow little eyes from two foot away however.
The gravity is somewhat lighter and the colors and shapes would be interesting because the angles at which slopes self stabilize would be different. The erosion mechanisms are different also. The sky is probably a striking violet to the eye.
posted on March 14, 2002 07:19:42 PM new
I wouldn't go there on a plane,
I wouldn't go there on a train.
I would not arrive within a bus,
I would kick and spit and make a fuss.
I do not want to go to Mars, you see;
I'd rather clean up the earth, verily...
