Re: Re: starship-design: scoops and sails and something to push against.

[KellySt@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/7/98 9:49:06 PM, stk@sunherald.infi.net wrote:

><snip>
>> The one place
>> we couldn't settle would be the planets, and if were staying in space
>> platforms ther is no reason to leave this star system.
>
>??? Can't settle the planets? I assume you are referring to biotoxins
>and such. 

Yes.

>I disagree, I think it is quite likely that by the time we
>begin serious exploration/colonization of other solar systems, we will
>have bio-medical systems capable of stopping any problems like bacterial
>contamination. If so, and the planet has a decent
>atmosphere/temperature/etc., I say colonize it.

Thats a VERY big if!  We still can't control deseases and infectinos from
microbes we evolved to survive.  Even our vounted anti-biotics and
disinfectants are starting to fail badly.  Most medicine still relies on our
boidis ability to fight off the infectinos if we can stack the deck in our
favor.  In another ecosphere all thats out the window.

Ever hear of Manifest destiny?  It was started as a concept to expain why god
cleared out all the indians ahead of the colonists.  The real reason was the
euro deseases.  Many tribes lost well over 90% of their population before
evenb seeing a white person.  So the white found a continent of emptied
vilages, and decimated tribe.  Land cleared by God for our use.  That was
among people isolated for tens of thousands of years from an infectino source.
We're talking about total historic isolation.


>Kyle R. Mcallister

Kelly