Space Cadet Will Hutton is sadly misinformed.

[UndercoverElephant]

I've just heard on the radio that the residents of the space station thingy are going to try growing cucumbers and tomatoes (no mention of bean sprouts ), but didn't know if they'd be allowed to eat them. So maybe turning space into a garden would work!

[woodpecker]

A number of years ago, I was sitting around a board table with Mr H, and I happened to mention a book related to what we were discussing. He was all ears, and asked me to repeat title and author. The very next Sunday his Observer column was about said book, but I strongly suspect he hadn't read a word of it.

[Ludwig]

A number of years ago, I was sitting around a board table with Mr H, and I happened to mention a book related to what we were discussing. He was all ears, and asked me to repeat title and author. The very next Sunday his Observer column was about said book, but I strongly suspect he hadn't read a word of it.

I've read a couple of admissions by newspaper insiders that literary "critics" frequently review books they've not read. Give-away signs are vagueness and use of the word "masterpiece".

[Ludwig]

Why do professional pundits go on an on and on even when they have little of any sense left to say? I guess listening, especially to the quality of s***e they come out with on occasions, is not one of their strong points.

To be fair (not that I see any particular reason to be), it must be pretty difficult for a columnist to find new things to say week after week.

Even some Peak Oil pundits get a bit boring. I've not read any of Richard Heinberg's books since "The Party's Over", but general opinion seems to be that they're pale shadows of that book. I don't blame him for milking his fame: anyone sensible will be making all the money they can, while they still can.

[Lord Beria3]

Unlike some here, I don't totally dismiss the idea, but if it is going to happen, realistically it needs to be done within the next 2/3 decades.

A crash, multi-trillion dollar programme by the major powers to create a permament self-sufficient colony in space for humanity is more a matter of political will.

The chances of it happening are remote. I suspect by the time the global elites wake up to the impeding Malthusian die-off facing humanity, it will be too late to launch humanity to the heavens.

Its a great shame, the Moon landings were a stunning achievement for humankind, there is no reason why we couldn't have a Mars colony, if we had spent even a trillion dollars over the few decades instead of wasting so many trillions on crap.

Tragic really.

[UndercoverElephant]

there is no reason why we couldn't have a Mars colony

There's precious little reason why we'd want one. There's no point.

[DominicJ]

there is no reason why we couldn't have a Mars colony

There's precious little reason why we'd want one. There's no point.

Colonising Mars has limited practical benefit to earth in the short term, however the moon, and even mars moons, is a fairly different story.
Transport from the moon to earth is relativly easy, so a colony could repay the cost of its construction, and contribute to national wealth.

In the really long term, eventualy, the sun is going to explode, anyone who hasnt left by then is going to get very toasty, and dead.
In the less likley long term, if humanity does somehow come to a concensus and controls its population and polution to create an earth paradise, we're in deep trouble if the Kzin turn up....

Its generaly forgotten, but the better part of a millenia ago, China had an overseas empire. They went as far as the southern coast of Africa, decided there was nothing worth the cost, and gave up.
A few centuries after that, Portugal was extracting Tribute from much of the indian ocean, and a few centuries after that, China was forced to accept opium imports.

[Ludwig]

there is no reason why we couldn't have a Mars colony

There's precious little reason why we'd want one. There's no point.

Colonising Mars has limited practical benefit to earth in the short term, however the moon, and even mars moons, is a fairly different story.
Transport from the moon to earth is relativly easy, so a colony could repay the cost of its construction, and contribute to national wealth.

For me the jury's out whether we actually put men on the moon. When the possibility of a hoax was put to me, I thought it was ridiculous. What really made me wonder is that photos from, supposedly, places hundreds of miles apart, have an identical mountain backdrop.

So, whether we could actually support a moon colony is something I'm a little sceptical of.
</removes tinfoil hat>

[goslow]

I was a bit of a space nut as a kid and still keep watch on things.

A lot of space exploitation can be done by robots much more cheaply. Due to the high energy involved in landing and lifting off a large body like Mars, manned exploration of the asteroids is much more easy to achieve and this is the latest "next step" planned by the USA.

Lots of rare metals out there in the asteroids. could help us with various "peaks", and maybe mined by robots.

The moon has a bit of water ice, which is important for making fuel and oxygen, but I expect you can also find the same on some asteroids. They are also talking about more close up study of asteroids and to test ways to deflect "planet-killers" from hitting Earth.

Landing on the Moon could happen again but maybe the next steps will be Chinese, or by someone setting up a hotel.

[UndercoverElephant]

Its generaly forgotten, but the better part of a millenia ago, China had an overseas empire. They went as far as the southern coast of Africa, decided there was nothing worth the cost, and gave up.

China never had an empire. Trade routes yes, empire no.

[Pepperman]

For me the jury's out whether we actually put men on the moon. When the possibility of a hoax was put to me, I thought it was ridiculous. What really made me wonder is that photos from, supposedly, places hundreds of miles apart, have an identical mountain backdrop.

So, whether we could actually support a moon colony is something I'm a little sceptical of.
</removes tinfoil hat>

There's a very simple explanation. On the moon you have perfect visibility and very little in the way of cues to judge distances. what looks like a small, nearby rock can actually be a massive boulder miles away. it caused big problems for the astronauts because they'd lope off in the direction of something they thought was just a hundred meters away when it turned out it was much much further.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Examinatio ... iles_apart

[UndercoverElephant]

There's precious little reason why we'd want one. There's no point.

Colonising Mars has limited practical benefit to earth in the short term, however the moon, and even mars moons, is a fairly different story.
Transport from the moon to earth is relativly easy, so a colony could repay the cost of its construction, and contribute to national wealth.

For me the jury's out whether we actually put men on the moon. When the possibility of a hoax was put to me, I thought it was ridiculous. What really made me wonder is that photos from, supposedly, places hundreds of miles apart, have an identical mountain backdrop.

So, whether we could actually support a moon colony is something I'm a little sceptical of.
</removes tinfoil hat>

Ludwig,

You can see equipment left behind on the moon during the Apollo missions with a high-powered telescope.

UE.

[kenneal - lagger]

Its generaly forgotten, but the better part of a millenia ago, China had an overseas empire. They went as far as the southern coast of Africa, decided there was nothing worth the cost, and gave up.

China never had an empire. Trade routes yes, empire no.

That's what the US claims about itself but it still manages to exploit it's non empire as much as, if not more than, we did with our's.

[DominicJ]

You can see equipment left behind on the moon during the Apollo missions with a high-powered telescope.

Dont suppose you have a link for that, I found lots of sites saying it was about to be proven, but none that said the VLT had actualy seen anything.

I'm with Ludwig here, I've seen several "conspiracy busting" shows, and not one answered any of my doubts, they simply built up strawmen and knocked them down.

Ships certainly went there and came back, I remain to be convinced they were manned when they did so.

[UndercoverElephant]

You can see equipment left behind on the moon during the Apollo missions with a high-powered telescope.

Dont suppose you have a link for that, I found lots of sites saying it was about to be proven, but none that said the VLT had actualy seen anything.

I'm with Ludwig here, I've seen several "conspiracy busting" shows, and not one answered any of my doubts, they simply built up strawmen and knocked them down.

Ships certainly went there and came back, I remain to be convinced they were manned when they did so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third-part ... n_landings

Seriously...doubting the moon landings is right up there with the lunacy of David Icke. There's plenty of third party evidence.