Space and survival

Space and survival is the relationship between outer space and the long-term survival of the human species and civilization. It is based on the observation that space colonization and space science could prevent many human extinction scenarios. A related observation is the limited time and resources thought by some to be available for the colonization of space.

Uses of space colonization

Extinction can be prevented by improving the physical barrier or increasing the mean distance between people and the potential extinction event. For example, people may survive imminent explosions by being in a bunker or evacuating. Pandemics are controlled by putting exposed people in quarantine and moving healthy people away. In the long history of animal life on Earth only lineages that diversify survive into the deep future. Our lineage, genus Homo, has reduced from several species co-existing on Earth to just one — all but our own going extinct since the start of the last Ice age. This would be a danger sign for any other large mammal genus. Space colonization, particularly of other star systems, would allow our genus to diversify and adapt to potentially new habitats.

Barrier

Life support systems that enable people to live in space may also allow them to survive hazardous events. For example, an infectious disease or biological weapon that transmits through the air could not infect a person in a closed life support system. An internal supply of air and a physical barrier exists between the person and the environment.

Location and distance

Expanding the living area of the human species increases the mean distance between humans and any hazardous event. People closest to the event are most likely to be killed or injured; people furthest from the event are most likely to survive.

Multiple locations

Increasing the number of places where humans live also helps to prevent extinction. For example, if a massive impact event occurred on Earth without warning, the human species could possibly become extinct; its art, culture and technology would be lost. However, if humans had previously colonized locations outside Earth, the opportunities for the survival and recovery of the species would be greater.

Opportunities for space colonization

Space colonies do not currently exist. It can be said, however, that humans have had a continuous space presence since 2000 due to the International Space Station. There is concern that the human species may lose its organized societies or its technological knowledge, use up required resources or even become extinct before it colonizes space.

The author Sylvia Engdahl wrote about the "Critical Stage", a period of time when a civilization has both the technology to expand into space and the technology to destroy itself. Engdahl states that the human civilization is at a Critical Stage, but that the funding for space exploration and colonization is minuscule compared to the funding for weapons of mass destruction and military forces.

NBC News space analyst James Oberg commented that "It's just a matter of waiting until we get some kind of cosmic 9/11 that will make everyone say 'why didn't we see this before,' and then we'll have enough money to afford these programs." [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3475897/ Aviation’s past sets future path - Tomorrow's Wright Brothers - MSNBC.com ] ]

Uses of space science

The observation and study of space protects Earth, as space hazards can be seen in advance and, if given enough time to prepare, acted against.

Near-Earth objects

Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are asteroids, comets and large meteoroids that come close to or collide with Earth. Spaceguard is the collective name for some of the efforts to discover and study NEOs, however these efforts are not highly funded.

References

Books

* "" (UK title: "Our Final Century"), Martin Rees, 2003, ISBN 0-465-06862-6
* "", Carl Sagan, 1994, ISBN 0-679-43841-6
* "", Paul Levinson, 2003, ISBN 0-415-27743-4
* "", William E. Burrows, August 22, 2006, ISBN 0-7653-1114-3

Television

* "Space" (also called "Hyperspace"), BBC documentary narrated by Sam Neill, 2001 ( [http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/spaceguide/space_prog/ BBC web site] )

External links

* [http://dmoz.org/Science/Technology/Space/Colonization/Essays_and_Manifestos/ Open Directory - Science: Technology: Space: Colonization: Essays and Manifestos] Links to reasons for space colonization
* [http://www.spaext.com/ Spaceflight or Extinction] Academics and other leaders explain that we should colonize space to improve our chance of survival. Authors include Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan.
* [http://www.spacequotes.com/ Space Quotes to Ponder] Quotations from scientists, engineers, authors, astronauts, leaders, journalists and others
* [http://www.sylviaengdahl.com/space/survival.htm Space and Human Survival: My Views on the Importance of Colonizing Space] Sylvia Engdahl's essay, links and books
* [http://www.arc-space.org/ Alliance to Rescue Civilization] Non-government organization founded by William E. Burrows, Robert Shapiro and others
* [http://www.edge.org/q2003/q03_shapiro.html Back up civilization] Robert Shapiro's response to "Edge"'s hypothetical request from the American President: "What are the pressing scientific issues for the nation and the world, and what is your advice on how I can begin to deal with them?"
* [http://www.arc-space.org/prod02.htm Space and Civilization] William E. Burrows's op-ed article from The Wall Street Journal
* [http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/10/16/nhawk16.xml Colonies in space may be only hope, says Hawking] Article about Stephen Hawking
* [http://www.thespacereview.com/article/261/1 Sagan's rationale for human spaceflight] Article about Carl Sagan and human spaceflight
* [http://www.foresight.org/challenges/space001.html Molecular Manufacturing and The High Frontier] from the Foresight Nanotech Institute