Perspective and experience are how we make assessments of what is safe or acceptable. Interesting to ponder stretching ~ opening our minds to others ways of being, doing.
That is an interesting twist. An astronaut afraid of Earth. I have been watching The Expanse, an excellent sci-fi show where Mars and the outer belt have been colonized. The people (asteroid miners) who were born and lived in the outer belt on space stations find Earth’s gravity torture. Even Martians struggle with it. Elspeth would certainly experience issues with Earth’s gravity. Who knows how severe. Anyway, I enjoyed it.
For me, this is about change. Every change brings a new beginning but we've adjusted to the world around us. We know its parameters and how to move around in it. When I dream of change, work to achieve a new beginning, I still face uncertainty. When that change is thrust upon my life, out of my control, I have faced fear and anxiety. I have no idea what that new reality will look like and how I will move around in it. I can definitely relate to her panic. And also to your comments about our earth home. I once saw a photo on the news, taken from the space station, of a small section of the earth. I could see clearly this great ball surrounded by this thin layer of blue, our living zone, and I realized how delicate our balance is. We're caught in such a disposable society, I hope we wake up to the reality that there are some things that are very valuable because there is only one. And the most important of all is our earth mother.
As long as the people driving our choices are those who only care for themselves in this exact moment, we'll continue to add to our danger. I only pray that we will have a chance to recover before it's too late.
Damn, the thought of having nowhere to go is frightening. And I don't mean moving from earth. All of us have had a ponit when we find ourselves on the end of something. Then realized that we have nowhere to go. The destruction of our planet isn't taken seriously. Humans assume that Earth will be here forever. Many believed that we still have many more centuries before Earth will become unliveable. May God have mercy on us.
Beyond the psychological difficulty of adjusting to a planetary environment, anyone born in space would have serious physiological problems in adapting to life within a gravity well. Their bones and musculature would be weaker. They would likely be taller and thinner. It is quite possible that they would be unable to live in a planetary gravity well. The point is, unless humanity is content to allow the species to evolve in unrecognizable ways, the care of the environment must be a top priority. We evolved here, Out biology works here, Humanity as we know it will not survive anywhere except on a planet and this is the only one we know of with a viable biosphere,
Yes! I didn't address that issue, instead pretending that somehow they managed normal gravity on the station. We're working very hard at digging our own grave here.
Don't get me wrong. I am all for going out there and exploring the galaxy. I just about jumped out my skin when I saw that they had produced a micro warp bubble. But the reality is that this planet is where we evolved. This planet protects us from radiation. This planet protects us from solar storms and CMEs. This planet has the ridiculously oversized moon that stops the planet from wobbling wildly. Taken as a whole, this may be the only planet in the galaxy that will totally sustain humanity in its present form.
If we colonize a different planet, we will change and adapt to that environment. Within a few generations the colonists will be incapable of returning "home" for extended periods of time. Most sci-fi ignores these realities because they are limiting. They make close relations, even within the human race. So the problems go well beyond distance, and psychology. They go to the inalterable fact that we are a species that evolved in a very specific biome during a very specific time, under very specific circumstances.
We have to protect this planet. There are no known, viable alternatives if we mess this one up. The planet will survive. Humanity may not be able to live here in its new form.
It wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for part of our species to evolve to something different. However, I think the reality is that if we are going to survive as a species it will be here. As things now stand, we're well on our way to making this world inhospitable to us. We either turn it around or we are likely to become extinct.
You are so right! We have to get smarter about cleaning up the planet, let’s hope the young people are smarter and more successful in this endeavor because, let’s face it, us older folks won’t be around to make much of a difference. Your story reminds me of a movie or show I saw recently where people were born and bred in space, but started figuring out they had also been drinking a certain liquid shot meant to keep them from becoming attracted to each other so they would not procreate. When they stopped drinking the shots, all kinds of trouble started. Their world without adult supervision (because they killed him) ended. Scary prospects!
Perspective and experience are how we make assessments of what is safe or acceptable. Interesting to ponder stretching ~ opening our minds to others ways of being, doing.
It is.
That is an interesting twist. An astronaut afraid of Earth. I have been watching The Expanse, an excellent sci-fi show where Mars and the outer belt have been colonized. The people (asteroid miners) who were born and lived in the outer belt on space stations find Earth’s gravity torture. Even Martians struggle with it. Elspeth would certainly experience issues with Earth’s gravity. Who knows how severe. Anyway, I enjoyed it.
Thanks, Mark! I quite enjoyed The Expanse.
I found the movie! It’s called the Voyagers from 2021.
Thank you! I'll add it to my list. Much appreciated.
No, i think he is Irish himself. Colin Farrell!
I think it starred that guy that’s in the Irish gangster movies a lot, can’t remember his name right now.
Leonardo Dicaprio?
For me, this is about change. Every change brings a new beginning but we've adjusted to the world around us. We know its parameters and how to move around in it. When I dream of change, work to achieve a new beginning, I still face uncertainty. When that change is thrust upon my life, out of my control, I have faced fear and anxiety. I have no idea what that new reality will look like and how I will move around in it. I can definitely relate to her panic. And also to your comments about our earth home. I once saw a photo on the news, taken from the space station, of a small section of the earth. I could see clearly this great ball surrounded by this thin layer of blue, our living zone, and I realized how delicate our balance is. We're caught in such a disposable society, I hope we wake up to the reality that there are some things that are very valuable because there is only one. And the most important of all is our earth mother.
As long as the people driving our choices are those who only care for themselves in this exact moment, we'll continue to add to our danger. I only pray that we will have a chance to recover before it's too late.
Damn, the thought of having nowhere to go is frightening. And I don't mean moving from earth. All of us have had a ponit when we find ourselves on the end of something. Then realized that we have nowhere to go. The destruction of our planet isn't taken seriously. Humans assume that Earth will be here forever. Many believed that we still have many more centuries before Earth will become unliveable. May God have mercy on us.
I agree, Annelise. We're too willing to ignore our danger because we all want our conveniences.
Beyond the psychological difficulty of adjusting to a planetary environment, anyone born in space would have serious physiological problems in adapting to life within a gravity well. Their bones and musculature would be weaker. They would likely be taller and thinner. It is quite possible that they would be unable to live in a planetary gravity well. The point is, unless humanity is content to allow the species to evolve in unrecognizable ways, the care of the environment must be a top priority. We evolved here, Out biology works here, Humanity as we know it will not survive anywhere except on a planet and this is the only one we know of with a viable biosphere,
Yes! I didn't address that issue, instead pretending that somehow they managed normal gravity on the station. We're working very hard at digging our own grave here.
Don't get me wrong. I am all for going out there and exploring the galaxy. I just about jumped out my skin when I saw that they had produced a micro warp bubble. But the reality is that this planet is where we evolved. This planet protects us from radiation. This planet protects us from solar storms and CMEs. This planet has the ridiculously oversized moon that stops the planet from wobbling wildly. Taken as a whole, this may be the only planet in the galaxy that will totally sustain humanity in its present form.
If we colonize a different planet, we will change and adapt to that environment. Within a few generations the colonists will be incapable of returning "home" for extended periods of time. Most sci-fi ignores these realities because they are limiting. They make close relations, even within the human race. So the problems go well beyond distance, and psychology. They go to the inalterable fact that we are a species that evolved in a very specific biome during a very specific time, under very specific circumstances.
We have to protect this planet. There are no known, viable alternatives if we mess this one up. The planet will survive. Humanity may not be able to live here in its new form.
It wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for part of our species to evolve to something different. However, I think the reality is that if we are going to survive as a species it will be here. As things now stand, we're well on our way to making this world inhospitable to us. We either turn it around or we are likely to become extinct.
You are so right! We have to get smarter about cleaning up the planet, let’s hope the young people are smarter and more successful in this endeavor because, let’s face it, us older folks won’t be around to make much of a difference. Your story reminds me of a movie or show I saw recently where people were born and bred in space, but started figuring out they had also been drinking a certain liquid shot meant to keep them from becoming attracted to each other so they would not procreate. When they stopped drinking the shots, all kinds of trouble started. Their world without adult supervision (because they killed him) ended. Scary prospects!
That is a scary scenario, maybe a little life "Lord of the Flies" in space. Do you remember the title?
No, it was one of the many movies I watched the slow week of Christmas
I wonder what it was. It might be interesting to watch.