RE: starship-design: Numbers needed for Colonization

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

Nels,

Did you ever consider that most of what makes a planet habitable is the
inhabitants? Terra like planets don't just instantly spring into existence,
it is a gradual process of reinforcement over millions of years. You might
as well attempt to terraform an airless asteroid as follow the procedure you
mention. The end result will be the same...

Lee

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-starship-design@lists.uoregon.edu
> [mailto:owner-starship-design@lists.uoregon.edu]On Behalf Of Lindberg
> Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 1998 6:21 PM
> To: SSD
> Subject: Re: starship-design: Numbers needed for Colonization
>
>
> 	In this "worst case" scenario, terraforming the
> horribly biohazardous
> planet could be accomplished through the use of orbital bombardment,
> chemical, and finally biological warfare against the native ecosystem.
> First, drop several 20km asteriods onto the planet over a
> short period.
> Simultaneously alter the climate with lasers and orbital mirrors. This
> alone should be enough to cause mass extinction.  Next, drop as much
> poison as you can into the air and waters. Finally, introduce
> microbes,
> fungi, plankton, etc. which are engineered to destroy the
> last remnants
> of the native lifeforms.  While the result won't be _completely_
> earthlike, the result should be much easier to manage. If we really
> don't like the result we could simply repeat the
> process.......Ethics?!...Where???
> 220,284
> Nels Lindberg
> P.S.  Personally, I am nauseated by the above proposal.
>