• 5 months ago
Let's talk about why colonizing space might not be as cool as it sounds. First off, space is a harsh and unforgiving environment – think extreme radiation, no air, and freezing temperatures. Then there's the insane cost and logistics of getting people and supplies to other planets; it's not like we can just hop on a bus! Plus, long-term space travel can seriously mess with your body, from muscle loss to bone deterioration. Lastly, there's the ethical dilemma of potentially disrupting any existing ecosystems or life forms out there.
Credit:
John H. Disher: By NASA, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15716184
Eugene F. Kranz: By NASA/Adam Cuerden, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50107768
L4-478 Scout: By NASA Langley Research Center / NASA, Carson, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=138026411
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Transcript
00:00 We often see humans living on other planets like Mars.
00:04 Colonizing our solar system and beyond has long been a dream of humankind.
00:08 The idea of humans going to space dates back to at least 1610.
00:13 A German astronomer named Johannes Kepler wrote to an Italian astronomer named Galileo.
00:20 Kepler said that we could create ships to travel in space,
00:23 and even create maps of the stars.
00:26 People got more excited about space during the famous space race.
00:30 NASA was created in the 50s.
00:33 They did many cool things like sending space stations, Mars rovers, and exploring other planets.
00:39 All this made space travel seem more real.
00:43 Today, we've developed to the point where we finally discuss the possibility of space tourism.
00:49 We're already sending regular people into space.
00:52 Only very rich people, of course.
00:55 But many believe that in just a few decades, space tourism will become normal.
01:01 We'll be able to fly to Earth's orbit and back, as if on some kind of tour.
01:06 Spaceships will replace airplanes, and it will only take two hours to get from Australia to England.
01:12 And finally, we'll begin to travel to other planets in our solar system.
01:17 Some scientists even believe we'll have colonies on the Moon or Mars by the 2060s.
01:22 In the future, we could colonize not only Mars, but some of the moons,
01:27 like our own, Ceres, Titan, and others.
01:31 But the thing is, why do we even want to live on other planets?
01:36 Surprising question, huh?
01:39 Sure, the answer might seem obvious at first glance.
01:43 Humans want to learn about space and other planets.
01:46 This curiosity is what led us to other big discoveries like going to the Antarctic and the Moon.
01:52 Next, safety, of course.
01:55 Humans have a moral duty to ensure our survival.
01:58 Colonizing space could protect us from disasters that might wipe out life on Earth.
02:03 Plus, by settling space, we improve our chances of survival and fulfill a moral obligation to do so.
02:10 Besides, with Earth's overpopulation, colonizing other planets could relieve the strain on our home planet.
02:17 Another thing is, colonizing a planet means living there and using its resources.
02:23 And let me tell you, there are lots of resources in space.
02:27 Our solar system alone has things to use for fuel, like Titan.
02:32 Space colonization could bring us clean energy, access to new materials, new technologies, and so on.
02:38 The more we colonize space and learn about it, the more we could benefit humanity.
02:44 More technology, more exploration, more innovation, and so on.
02:49 History also says explorers are way less likely to get into fights.
02:54 Expanding and exploring, scientists claim, keeps us busy with cool discoveries, growth, and research.
03:02 The more we explore, the less we're stuck with our earthly problems.
03:06 But on the other hand, not everyone is interested in going to space.
03:11 And maybe colonizing space isn't as good an idea as it seems.
03:15 First of all, is it even possible?
03:18 Some people say that living in space is just too far-fetched.
03:22 You might have heard about terraforming.
03:24 Terraforming basically means changing and improving the planet however we want,
03:29 as if we were in some character maker in a video game.
03:32 Sounds great.
03:34 In theory.
03:35 In reality, terraforming Mars, for example, could take hundreds of years and cost millions of dollars, according to experts.
03:42 Colonizing our moon could cost an unimaginable $104 billion.
03:48 It's seven times NASA's yearly budget.
03:51 And that's not even counting the earthly costs.
03:55 But the biggest, most important question is, is it really that cool to live in space, though?
04:02 Space isn't your cozy home at all.
04:05 Most celestial bodies are radiation hotspots, all because of the solar winds.
04:11 Imagine a wind so fierce that it can strip planets of their very atmospheres.
04:16 Our sun is a real danger to each planet in the system.
04:20 Yes, including our own Earth.
04:23 Stars are crazy powerful.
04:25 They shoot out charged particles all the time.
04:29 These particles can zoom around at incredible speeds, going up to 5 million miles per hour.
04:35 These gusts of particles can leave an entire planet all barren.
04:40 Poof.
04:41 No more life-sustaining air.
04:43 The water on the planet would evaporate, then freeze.
04:47 The temperature would plummet to very chilling.
04:50 And even daytime skies would be as black as night.
04:54 Lucky for us, Earth has an amazing shield called a magnetosphere.
04:59 It protects us from these space winds.
05:02 But scientists are studying these winds to help us find other friendly planets out there.
05:07 By checking out stars' properties, gravity, and magnetic fields,
05:12 we can see if their planets can truly host life.
05:15 And it's very hard to find a planet that isn't showered by radiation all the time.
05:20 It has to have a very thick atmosphere, like on Earth, to prevent this from happening.
05:26 Unfortunately, we haven't discovered any planets like this so far,
05:30 which is why living in space would mean dealing with crazy health problems.
05:35 Temperatures and radiation are just the beginning.
05:38 What about muscle loss, troubles with vision, and many other things?
05:42 Humans are way too vulnerable for that.
05:45 Robots are more suited for space exploration due to its hostile conditions.
05:50 Let's take Mars, for example.
05:53 The red planet is freezing and very uninviting.
05:56 In fact, the Earth could face almost anything,
05:59 even mega-problems, and still be better than Mars.
06:03 Mars is a desert with barely any water, very far from the idea of a dream home.
06:09 Let's imagine that the Earth's air get polluted.
06:12 Mars still wouldn't be better.
06:14 The air there is super thin and 96% carbon dioxide.
06:18 Earth's air is a cakewalk compared to that.
06:21 Or even if a huge asteroid crashes into Earth,
06:24 we're still better off here than on other planets.
06:27 It might even be a pretty big asteroid, like the one that wiped off the dinosaurs.
06:33 This event was absolutely catastrophic, plunging the Earth into utter chaos.
06:40 It created a massive crater called the Chichilub Crater.
06:44 The impact led to massive fires, tsunamis,
06:47 and a lot of dust and debris flying into the sky.
06:50 The dust and debris blocked out the sun for a long time.
06:55 Can you imagine what happens when there's no sunlight at all for a while?
06:59 Everything got really cold and dark.
07:02 This darkness and coldness affected plants and animals.
07:05 Without sunlight, plants couldn't make food through photosynthesis,
07:09 and that meant many animals lost their source of food.
07:13 And these were only short-term consequences.
07:16 Of course, many species became extinct because of that.
07:19 But even with all that, 25% of species managed to survive somehow.
07:25 If this same asteroid had hit Mars, the outcome would have been much worse.
07:30 Mars doesn't have enough things like water and air to support life like Earth does,
07:35 so the consequences would be way harsher.
07:38 Actually, the Earth survived not one, but five mass extinctions.
07:44 And life still managed to thrive on our planet, even after all that.
07:49 As you can see, it's almost impossible to make the Earth completely inhabitable.
07:55 Our planet will always be the most habitable place
07:58 compared to anywhere else in our solar system,
08:01 unless we do something extremely insane,
08:05 which is why we need to protect it.
08:08 Here we come to the famous "the Earth's in trouble" argument.
08:12 If something bad happens to our planet,
08:14 why not focus on fixing it instead of flying away?
08:18 Critics argue that if we can't take care of Earth,
08:20 we shouldn't spread our problems to other planets or moons.
08:24 Are we really capable of responsibly colonizing other worlds
08:28 if we can't even manage our own?
08:30 Plus, there's still so much to explore even on our own planet.
08:34 Humans haven't even lived in Antarctica or under Earth's oceans yet.
08:38 Are we sure we're ready for worlds that are even more extreme than that?
08:43 So, even if Earth gets into trouble, we shouldn't just ditch it.
08:48 We have to work together and create safe zones.
08:51 It would be a big challenge, sure,
08:53 but it's still way more doable and cheaper than building space colonies.
08:57 Of course, the idea of humans living in space
09:00 and traveling to other planets is very exciting,
09:03 but we should never forget our sweet home.
09:05 And we should remember that life isn't science fiction.
09:09 We should use our technology rationally
09:11 and focus on making the Earth safer and better.
09:14 And what do you think about it?
09:17 That's it for today.
09:18 So, hey, if you pacified your curiosity,
09:20 then give the video a like and share it with your friends.
09:23 Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!
09:27 Or, if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!

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