Why humans will never colonize space

[Sector 7]

This just in from here. It is a short article so I posted the entire thing:

Why humans will never colonize space

Our dream of life beyond the stars may be thwarted by fertility-sapping cosmic rays, says a NASA biophysicist

posted on February 17, 2011, at 5:52 PM


Dreams of raising a family in another galaxy? Keep dreaming: Some scientists have concluded that humans can't procreate in outer space. Photo: NASA SEE ALL 35 PHOTOS


Sorry, Stephen Hawking. The astrophysicist's grandiose plan for the human race to leave Earth and colonize the far reaches of space may never come to fruition. Why? Because NASA has discovered that space is "simply not a good place to have sex." Here, a quick guide to our outer-space fertility problem:

[Mod Note: Posting an entire article is a Copyright violation, so I've clipped it for you. The link is still there for people to follow. --RJ]

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

So just build the house on Mars and get banging.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Two words: frozen embryos.

 

[Mr. B]

Never say never. I'm sure these problems will be solvable in 100 years or less.

 

[Lindley]

Couldn't spaceships protect against this kind of radiation?
No. These are no ordinary protons, but high-energy proton particles from galactic cosmic rays. We on Earth are kept safe from them by our atmosphere and magnetic field, but astronauts in space remain vulnerable.

So it is possible to shield against them. Just a matter of making the technology light enough to equip a spaceship with, then.

 

[ITL]

Makes me think of a Blackadder conversation...

"They say the rains beats down so hard it makes your head bleed!"
"Some sort of hat seems to be in order, then..."

 

[Sector 7]

Couldn't spaceships protect against this kind of radiation?
No. These are no ordinary protons, but high-energy proton particles from galactic cosmic rays. We on Earth are kept safe from them by our atmosphere and magnetic field, but astronauts in space remain vulnerable.

So it is possible to shield against them. Just a matter of making the technology light enough to equip a spaceship with, then.

That was also my thought when I read the article. Why not shield the ship the same way? Duh.

 

[sojourner]

Wow, gee, magnetic fields could protect the astronauts. Too bad we don't know how to make those - Oh Wait!

Over sensationalistic article is over sensationalistic.

Also, I think they are taking the phrase "colonize space" to literally. Most people include other planets when they use the phrase.

 

[Sector 7]

Wow, gee, magnetic fields could protect the astronauts. Too bad we don't know how to make those - Oh Wait!

Over sensationalistic article is over sensationalistic.

Also, I think they are taking the phrase "colonize space" to literally. Most people include other planets when they use the phrase.

To be fair to the authors, most people would think colonize means to settle somewhere eventually.

The problem discussed in the article is that it will take a 'generation ship' to reach planets outside our own solar system. The hypothesis put forth is that generation ships will not work until we find a way to protect passenger fertility during the trip.

 

[TheSeeker]

I think using "never" in the title of the article is a little bit much. How many "impossible" things has the human race achieved already?

 

[scotpens]

Dreams of raising a family in another galaxy? Keep dreaming: Some scientists have concluded that humans can't procreate in outer space.

I can’t take seriously any article written by someone who apparently has no clue what a galaxy is.

At 100,000 light-years across and with between 100 billion and 400 billion stars, our own Milky Way galaxy is plenty big enough.

 

[Roshi]

^ I was about to post the same thing. Another galaxy?

 

[sojourner]

Magnets! How do they work?

 

[Eyes]

*Heh* 'zero-G docking maneuvers'...

Sorry, that's the only thing I can take away from the article. I refuse to take seriously articles that seem like they're talking to idiots.

 

[Amaris]

I'm willing to give space sex a try... in the name of science, of course.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Magnets! How do they work?

 

[Trekker4747]

It was once believed that it was "impossible" for humans to travel more than 45 miles an hour without getting sever facial deformities, heck it was even once believed the sound barrier would never be broken.

So you'll ecxuse me if I don't put a lot of stock into stuff like this.

 

[Trekker4747]

Magnets! How do they work?

 

[Showdown]

Mastery of flight was considered impossible until two guys proved it can be done. Ever

 

[Shatnertage]

So just build the house on Mars and get banging.

Never work. We all know that Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids....