RE: starship-design: Numbers needed for Colonization

["L. Parker" <lparker@cacaphony.net>]

Nels,

> I agree with the above, however i think that transplanting an
> earthlife
> based ecosystem is much safer than atempting to co-exist with native
> microbes. We would provide the inhabitants, making the world
> habitable.
> The process should be fairly short, witness the rejuvenation of the
> terrain arround Mt. St. Helens here in Washington.  BTW, some have
> mentioned the "T-Rex scenario." It shouldn't be a problem for
> long given
> the inevitablilty of exposure of the native environment to earth
> microbes and fungi. In fact, prolonged contact between earth and other
> ecosystems is bound (murphy's law) to end in disaster for
> both parties.


Which was exactly the point. If it is indeed that dangerous and difficult to
exist on an Earth like planet, there is no point in bombing it back to
asteroid status and starting over. Just pick a lifeless planet and start
from scratch instead.

Why would you want to commit gaiaicide for no reason?

Lee