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Author Topic: Space Thread  (Read 279511 times)

WillowLuman

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #15 on: November 05, 2013, 04:50:26 pm »

The problem is, people's blood makes fewer platlets in space, and the blood just goes everywhere. So it's pretty messy, unsanitary, and generally awful to get a cut in space. You can always bandage it, but any wound would still make an annoying mess.

I think observing birds would provide valuable insight. The effects of microgravity on their bones and health would be the main reason to bring them, and despite their fragile bones they might possibly be better adapted for these conditions than other animals, due to their natural inclination for 3D navigation. Seeing how they maneuver could be useful for eventual larger orbital habitats.
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Mephansteras

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #16 on: November 05, 2013, 05:18:10 pm »

I could see getting them up there safely a problem, though. Of course, the research to do that could be quite beneficial all on its own. I can easily see orbital stations being ideal places to treat certain types of disease, like brittle bone disorder.
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Mephansteras

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #17 on: November 05, 2013, 06:05:05 pm »

In other news: India sends a probe to Mars.

I'm happy to see more countries getting into space exploration in earnest.
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WillowLuman

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #18 on: November 05, 2013, 06:10:40 pm »

Good for them. And good for us. More probes means more information.
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werty892

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #19 on: November 05, 2013, 06:26:47 pm »

I've always wondered how birds would do in microgravity.
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alway

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #20 on: November 06, 2013, 12:35:00 am »

There's also how this topic ties into the cyborg/transhumanism movements. A big part of the origins of those is tied to spaceflight; with the idea essentially being to allow humans to travel and live in space as naturally as we do on Earth. For a typical earth-human, space is a terrible place. You need a giant capsule full of air, too which you then must add tons of food, water, and other supplies, even for relatively short 2-way trips. As a result, turning humans into a being more capable of space travel was proposed; even before any man had first gone to space. Effectively integrating most of the life support systems otherwise required into the body itself. Interestingly, this is proposed not just for purely physical reasons, but also for mental reasons. People, in general, can not live their lives in small tin cans; our mental health requires more than that. Someone confined to live in an area the size of an apartment suite for their entire lives, with effectively no way of getting out and wandering around, would basically go mad. There was also great concern about quality of life; if daily life consists of monitoring the equipment which keeps one alive, they don't exactly have the best life to begin with; slave to the machine, and all that.

Interestingly enough, this modification of humanity would occur to some degree anyway, whether we wanted it or not.
Humanity itself would change on other planets; with the most rapid changes due to gravitational differences affecting muscle development. Which, as highlighted in this interesting filk song, may not be desirable. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZKOhIuvWZg

After that, speciation would likely occur in any scenario without extremely common near instant travel; though that would take a good deal longer. Anything short of instant point to point travel, and humanity would eventually spread out to the point where genetic barriers would begin to form simply from lack of direct contact.
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WillowLuman

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #21 on: November 06, 2013, 12:46:52 am »

That's very far-future stuff, though. As for space travel, video games may be the secret to 3-year trips. EVA's might help get out-and-about, so to speak.

Floating through the void on your lonesome self without a ship would be pretty goddamn terrifying and would be more likely to result in insanity. Constant exposure to the vast emptiness presents the exact opposite problem: sometimes people just need a little private space to crawl into.
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alway

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #22 on: November 06, 2013, 01:53:47 am »

No, it's something more related to the terms 'stir crazy' or 'cabin fever.' Which basically result from isolation in confined quarters. Which includes things like a strong desire to get out of said confined quarters, and go outside; even if doing so isn't possible. And even going out into space may not be enough; after all, you're still confined to wearing a movement-constricting space-suit and such to protect you from exposure to the outside.

Though privacy is its own issue; which would also be problematic on long trips. Barring vast advances in spacecraft tech, you want it to be as small as possible, with a crew of at least several individuals (largely for socialization issues; being completely isolated would put you off the deep end quicker than a meeting with a Shub-Niggurath), which means really tight spaces in which you are stuck with the same people, possibly for years.

There are other possibilities in terms of expanding the social horizons of such things. The ISS, for example, recently acquired Kirobo, a small humanoid robot with natural language processing software, meant as an experiment in robotic companions for long journeys. In general, humans (and chimps too, apparently), respond quite well to robots for social stimulation. And in general, any psychological problems brought about 'isolation' are actually brought about by perceived isolation, and so can be solved by introducing artificial companions just as easily as real ones. Which is a good deal easier than adding life support for more people.
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WillowLuman

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #23 on: November 06, 2013, 02:05:59 am »

Also, video games. Seriously. People already spend years living in an apartment sized space, leaving rarely, playing them. The problem with getting out and taking a space walk (or sending cyborg people hurtling through the vast void on their own, which I must once again say is a worse mental torture) is that once you get far enough away from the nearest planet, there really isn't much to look at. Just an empty void with lots of little lights at a visually indeterminate distance.
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mastahcheese

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #24 on: November 06, 2013, 02:16:08 am »

I remember that they took bees into space and found that they adjusted fairly quickly.
It's just that flapping the wings sends them upwards, not forward, so they have to re-align themselves, but they did it.
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Gentlefish

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #25 on: November 06, 2013, 02:59:38 am »

PTW. Spaaaaccceeee.

Xantalos

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #26 on: November 06, 2013, 03:05:08 am »

SPEEEESSSSSSS
PTW
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PyroDesu

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #27 on: November 06, 2013, 06:18:12 pm »

To whoever wanted to see birds in space, I present to you:

Quail chicks on the Mir space station.

« Last Edit: November 06, 2013, 06:25:42 pm by PyroDesu »
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WillowLuman

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #28 on: November 06, 2013, 06:27:29 pm »

I've heard of this experiment. They were hatched in space as part of an experiment on embryonic devlopment. But they didn't stay up there very long after hatching, and quails are more grounded birds anyway. Still haven't seen adult birds in space, much less for extended periods.

Still, cute.
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Drakale

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Re: Space Thread
« Reply #29 on: November 06, 2013, 06:38:15 pm »

I now want to see a cat in space.
Oh wait, not quite space but close.
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