Researchers: Human evolution speeding up - Page 3

jowey · 12-15-2007, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Heretic

The more efficient route- at least I think so anyway, would be for a variation of photosynthesis to use background radiation the same way plants and algae use visible light. But even then the chloroplasts will have to be on the outer most parts of each and every cell to shield the nucleus and organelles from ratiation. And that still leaves the cell membrane to suffer damage when high energy particles break down the molecular structure and even individual atoms within the phsopholipids as well as membrane proteins and carbohydrates.

I will give you that, if the cells were exposed. The cells on the outside of the bioship could exude a barrier shell that would be radiation resistant. The bioship could also be designed to collect ices (from low gravity sources) around it for both propellant and additional radiation protection. It could also burrow into the center of a rock.

Think it was Arthur C. Clarke that proposed building a shell by finding an asteroid, inserting an explosive/gas in the center, spinning it and heating it till it melted, from the sun for example. Once liquid the explosive could inflate it to some sort of container. Purity of the rock might be an issue but it might apply to the ices, gently heated till liquid..... be interesting to see if it would evaporate in the vacuum or one could create a bubble of liquid in space.

Getting in and out of a larger gravity well would mean shedding its outer shells.....

.....hey it was only a story line

The_Heretic · 12-15-2007, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jowey

I will give you that, if the cells were exposed. The cells on the outside of the bioship could exude a barrier shell that would be radiation resistant. The bioship could also be designed to collect ices (from low gravity sources) around it for both propellant and additional radiation protection. It could also burrow into the center of a rock.

Think it was Arthur C. Clarke that proposed building a shell by finding an asteroid, inserting an explosive/gas in the center, spinning it and heating it till it melted, from the sun for example. Once liquid the explosive could inflate it to some sort of container. Purity of the rock might be an issue but it might apply to the ices, gently heated till liquid..... be interesting to see if it would evaporate in the vacuum or one could create a bubble of liquid in space.

Getting in and out of a larger gravity well would mean shedding its outer shells.....

.....hey it was only a story line

Yes, but there's still molecular breakdown to consider.

jowey · 12-15-2007, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Heretic

Yes, but there's still molecular breakdown to consider.

Yes, that is always the case....

Back to the magnetic, electric and physical shielding all strategies have been observed in nature.

Grow a hermit crab....

The_Heretic · 12-15-2007, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jowey

Yes, that is always the case....

Back to the magnetic, electric and physical shielding all strategies have been observed in nature.

Grow a hermit crab....

Why a hermet crab. They can't anymore rads than any othe ectothermic animal.

jowey · 12-15-2007, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Heretic

Why a hermet crab. They can't anymore rads than any othe ectothermic animal.

No but their survival strategy is sound......
The bioengineering for this ship would be extensive as no living creature would be able to survive in outer space. However the models and strategies exist, our understanding of the genome provides footholds.

Brain
Electric fields - electric eel, Shark
Magnetic fields - so far as I have heard for migration.
Carrying protection around - hermit crab, turtle...

Moving into space is going to force human evolution, naturally or artificially.

I just thought it would be a cool story to grow a ship that was bonded to the individual - and get off this planet......

The_Heretic · 12-15-2007, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jowey

No but their survival strategy is sound......
The bioengineering for this ship would be extensive as no living creature would be able to survive in outer space. However the models and strategies exist, our understanding of the genome provides footholds.

Brain
Electric fields - electric eel, Shark
Magnetic fields - so far as I have heard for migration.
Carrying protection around - hermit crab, turtle...

Moving into space is going to force human evolution, naturally or artificially.

I just thought it would be a cool story to grow a ship that was bonded to the individual - and get off this planet......

Even navigating via magnetic fields isn't precise enough for astrogation between stars. You hear NASA trying to explain how difficult it is for a probe to even reach Mars, less land on a certain spot on the planet. Trying to reach another star will take several decimal places more precision than that. Plus, the energy problem remains as well. To get anywhere within any meaningful measure of time will take nuclear energy- at least, if not something more outstanding.

jowey · 12-15-2007, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Heretic

Even navigating via magnetic fields isn't precise enough for astrogation between stars. You hear NASA trying to explain how difficult it is for a probe to even reach Mars, less land on a certain spot on the planet. Trying to reach another star will take several decimal places more precision than that. Plus, the energy problem remains as well. To get anywhere within any meaningful measure of time will take nuclear energy- at least, if not something more outstanding.

Yes, someone has to do "proof of concept", NASA ran a test of dropping a wire in orbit, the induced currents ......
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...5183447AAd1rR5
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/fo...5032;boardseen
.....damn it read about it somewhere, couldnt find a direct link to the experiment.....

Solar storms, magnetic field and electric fields in space could provide corridors, these have not been mapped yet.... NASA is finally figuring these fields out - duh...

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