#real sci-fi

[realsci-fi]

Rsf News: NASA May Put Greenhouse on Mars in 2021

Researchers have proposed putting a plant-growth experiment on NASA's next Mars rover, which is scheduled to land on the Red Planet in early 2021. The investigation could help lay the foundation for the colonization of Mars, its designers say.

Well, this would be awesome.

[realsci-fi]

Rsf Tops! Top 5 Apocalyptic Sci-fi Scenarios:

Welcome to the first "Rsf Top" ever! This time we will look at the dark side of science fiction. 

So as the title sees we are talking today about "not so friendly futuristic scenarios" in which the entire existence of mankind is threatened. So be aware and make sure to be ready to read about the...

Top 5 Apocalyptic Sci-fi Scenarios:

Man Made Black Hole:

This scenario involves humans creating its own destruction by accidentally originating a black hole. How could this ever possibly happen? Well, the risk of this happening according to some people lies on the experiments that are performed on particle colliders like the Large Hadron Collider. In theory, by colliding protons together with enough force, there is a chance a small, short-lived black hole (micro black hole) to born. 

The Large Hadron Collider:

The possibility of this happening is very low. But, What if it happens? Well as state earlier, the black hole would be a small, short-lived one. In other words it wouldn´t look very much like those we see in space (Joke: Black holes can´t be seen, because light can´t escape from its gravitational force). It would be a micro black hole.

Black Holes in Space:

Also we are very sure we won`t have a particle collider strong enough to represent a real threaten to our existence. I wouldn´t worry about this very much for the next 70 years or so. Even in a distant future, the probability of we creating a black hole capable of end with every sing of humanity is very low.

  World War III:

The threaten of a third world war are very realistic. We are an aggressive species; we have demonstrate it countless times. But those it mean our wars could ultimately end our civilization, our species, or any life on Earth at all?

We have had two “world wars”. The second one end in 1945, when the US launch an atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Japanese cities). Then we do something unprecedented. We prohibit weapons of mass destruction. Instead of use our new weapons, we stop and determine that this weapons should never be used again. This give me hope in humanity. But if we fall again in another world war, even in a war between only two powerful countries; it would threaten our entire civilization due to our new mass destruction weapons, biological weapons, between other threatens. So if our civilization ends, it is probable it to happen due to our ambition for power through our own weapons.

Artificial Intelligence takes over Earth:

Now days we have create robots with the ability to help people and even make some decisions by their own. Artificial intelligence is this capability of making independent decisions in robot or computer programs.

In present days, our technology has over pass our minds in a few aspects like velocity on math calculations. However that does not represents a threaten as we still having control over any AI ever created. We still are superior to AI. But as our technology improves we are approaching to a technological singularity.

A technological singularity is the point in which technology over pass humanity in every aspect. Technology would be able to improve itself and to innovate at a higher rate we do. At this point humanity would have no longer control over the creation of new technologies or weapons. As technology keep improving the risk of AI deciding that they don´t need humans to exist anymore increase.

Grey Goo:

Grey Goo is a hypothetical scenario in which out of control nanotechnology capable of self replication; consume any matter in their way for replication. Ultimately, they would consume all matter on Earth leaving a grey robotic mass.

We do have nanotechnology, and we do are heading to develop this nanotechnology in areas like medicine. But the type of technology capable of such a thing is not coming soon. In fact, self replicating nanomachines are needlessly complex and inefficient according to many scientists. In did, for many this scenario is by far less probable than originally thought. 

Originally the scenario consist on machines that were designed to have this capability, while popularizations have assumed that machines might somehow gain this capability by accident. The term was first used by the nanotechnology pioneer Eric Drexler in his 1986 book "Engines of Creation".

Alien Invasion:

We would be sure of at least three things in case of an extraterrestrial civilization invading Earth. Number one, they are not from the solar system. Number two, there for they are capable of interstellar travel. Third, that means that they at least are a type 2 civilization in the scale of Kardashev (We are thought to become a type 1 civilization in 100 years or so.) and therefore we have no opportunity against them.

Stephen Hawkins ones said that establishing communication with other civilizations could be dangerous. According to him, it would be like Europe colonizing the Americas and us been the poor Native Americans (If it turns out them to be aggressive). 

If a civilization, capable of traveling the distance from their star to ours, wants Earth they would just take it. The technological difference would be abysmal.

But, those a extraterrestrial civilization would be able to find us? And why would they do something like that to us? Well, we have been sending radio waves into space in the form of a light speed ever growing sphere from 80 years ago. So, yes, some stars have heard us (If stars could hear). But, since many scientists believe that we should be the only civilization in several light years due to the lack of radio waves arriving to Earth from another place of the universe, they could find us by the own technology weather than for our messages thrown to space. 

The possible reasons they could attack us for are divers. Weather their home planet´s biosphere is completely and irreversibly damaged, the lack of resources to support their civilization, or they just are expanding their territories and colonizing new worlds for their growing population. We would not de able to understand the behavior or the way of procedure of other intelligences. Just the complexity of the human mind is a mystery for us. The mysteries of a nonhuman intelligence would be almost unsolvable for us. Therefore we should not expect much predictable actions. But if they attack us, then we can assume that this is an aggressive specie and that our days on Earth are over.

[realsci-fi]

Colonization of the Solar System (II): Mars

Welcome to the second part of the series. Today we are talking about the Red Planet. But if you want to read the hole series you might like to start from the first article.

You are probably familiar to mars. The planet that we have land on some of our robotic rovers to explore it`s surface. The one in witch we usually think of when we talk about looking for a second planet.

Mars:

Earth seen from Mars:

Mars Rover Curiosity (selfie):

Yeah, we all think that Mars is so awesome with its nearly 24 hours day (24 hours, 37 minutes) and its similar rotational patterns and seasons. But then you realize that the planet is half the size of Earth.

Mars compare with Earth and its moon:

Well, this is where we start talking about the problems. Mars have a very thin atmosphere when compared with that of Earth: (1,155 kPa vs 101,325 kPa). It means that liquid water is impossible on Mars. Even if heated, icy water would just sublimate. Mars have a mid surface temperature of -55° C. And as you may have noticed it is way smaller than Earth. It also has less volume and density. Its gravity is about 3.7 m/s2 : (that is around 0.376g). Also mars lack of a magnetosphere to protect it from solar radiation.

Colonizing Mars could be done by building gigantic domes in which City-colonies may be protected from the Martian hostility. But this, I think, should be the first step before we start thinking on solving problems in order to make Mars look more like home. After all, it is hard that a considerable fraction of humanity decide to move to Mars, if the red planet does not represent the same or at least some of the commodities our paradisiacal blue planet does.

The gravity issue is one of the more problematic ones, since we won`t be able (at short term) to increase Martian mass enough to avoid health problems, in our future colonizers on mars, related to long periods of low gravity. But we can try at long term to increase its mass by throwing heavy asteroids to the planet. 

Increasing the mass would help to retain a new Martian atmosphere (Artificial atmosphere). This new atmosphere would heat the planet through the process of a greenhouse effect. It must present enough pressure for liquid water to flow in form of rivers, lakes, and oceans through the Martian surface. 

It is also thought that a thick atmosphere like that of Earth could even provide some kind of protection from solar radiation. Someone said terraforming?

 Artistic conception of the process of terraforming Mars:

  Terraformed Mars:

Well, Mars is probably by far the easier planet in our solar system to terraform (If we take out the 0.376g issue). We would first of all need to do exactly what we are doing wrong with our own planet in order to heat it a little. We have succeeded (if we can say so) in heating Earth by releasing greenhouse gases. In Mars we could use gases like Ammonia (NH4), Methane (or another hydrocarbons), and CO2 (that is already present on the Martian south pole as ice). These gases have the potential of increase the atmospheric pressure and start a greenhouse effect, heating Mars.

Other gases like Hydrogen may be added not only for changing Martian atmosphere but for creating a hydrosphere (Oceans, rivers, lakes, etc...). Hydrogen by reacting with Iron(III)oxide (Fe2O3, which is responsible for Mars` red color.) from Martian soil may give up water: (H2 + Fe2O3 → H2O + 2FeO). Methane also can be helpful in producing water and CO2 (Water and CO2 are needed by plants for photosynthesis.) by the following reaction: (CH4 + 4 Fe2O3 → CO2 + 2H2O + 8FeO). If this is not enough water for you, then let’s talk about importing water from Ceres which is calculated to have the equivalent of 0.03% of the whole mass of mars in water. Water can be imported from Jovian or Saturnian moons or from ice on asteroids. Also, Mars have underground icy water.  Water is important, not only for creating a hydrosphere but also for making atmosphere denser and appropriated for sustaining life.

Other method that could be use in order to heat more Martian surface is the use of an orbital mirror. This orbital mirror could orbit in a stationary position relative to Mars, near the poles, to sublimate it`s CO2 ice to contribute in the greenhouse effect.

Orbital Mirror:

  Ones Mars have been colonized and terraformed we will be able to exploit it, and we as humans will surely do so. Mars is rich in rare metals such as platinum, gold, and silver. Mars also is abundant in deuterium which can be use in fusion reactions. The fusion reaction between deuterium (which is rare on Earth) and tritium would be highly efficient. Nuclear fusion could fuel Mars and even the rest of humanity of energy in the future. Also undermine Martian moons (Phobos and Deimos) could be important for Martian economy and development.

Phobos:

Deimos:

[realsci-fi]

Helium-3 and energy in the future:

Well, this time we are talking about energy. You might be familiar with the debates about energy sources. Today the main source of energy is that from fossil fuels (witch many people are upset about, because of its negative impact to our environment); but there is also a considerable number of cleaner sources of energy. Solar power, wind power, hydroelectric dams, geothermal power, wave power, tidal power, between others.

Fossil fuels:

Wind Power:

Solar power:

Hydroelectric dam:

  But wait a second, this blog is not about the present. You are here to know about the future. So lets get on that.

First of all, I expect and hope the cleaner sources of energy to be more widely used and developed until they reach the point of been able to support the 100% of our future society`s energetic demands.

But what about new and even cleaner and efficient sources of energy? After all, we need a lot of energy if we want to have and visit our colonies in mars and the rest of the solar system. Well many have suggest nuclear fusion. I may be clear that Fusion is not the only futuristic way of traveling through the solar system. There are other ways, like solar sails, But we are talking today about nuclear fusion.

Nuclear fusion is a nuclear reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei collide at a very high speed and join to form a new type of atomic nucleus. During this process, matter is not conserved because some of the mass of the fusing nuclei is converted to photons (energy). Thanks, Wikipedia, for making me look smart.

As you may have noticed, basically it release energy. And what amount of energy! Fusion is the process that powers active or "main sequence" stars(!). And here is were Helium-3 enters.

Our sun is a main sequence star:

  At this point many of you might have been asking your self: What is doing that "Helium-3" in the title? Well, it turns out that He-3 have the potential of been used in future "nuclear fusion power plants". 

Current nuclear fusion reactors, use the hydrogen isotopes tritium and deuterium as fuel, witch is less efficient than He-3 and deuterium. The problem is that Helium-3 is extremely rare in Earth, but guess were it`s not.

Earth`s Moon:

Many governments have suggested the possibility of mining the Moon for Helium-3 and used it as fuel. This Helium-3 could be extracted by heating the lunar dust to about 600 C°. It have been estimated that there is enough Helium-3 in our Moon to powers earth for 5000 years(!).

Colonization of the Moon:  

Extraction of Moon`s He-3: 

Now lets get seriously futuristic. 

Nuclear fusion-powered spacecraft:

Our Solar system have a considerable number of worlds potentially colonizable. If we attempt to visit and eventually stay on some of this worlds we need to do something better than our now days` chemical rockets. And yes, Helium-3 may be also the answer to the problem of the amount of energy required for interplanetary journeys. Again, there are other methods of making this kind of travels, but today we are talking about Helium-3. 

It turns out that the Moon is not the only nor the greatest Helium-3 reserve. The four "Gas Giants" are enormous reserves of Helium-3, so if in the future we colonize Jupiter`s or Saturn`s Moons, we might be able to exploit this reserves. Finally, this might even be the key for exploring at lest our solar system.

The Gas Giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune):

Sources: 

http://www.todanoticia.com/45908/petroleo-brent-cae-us113-incertidumbre/

http://www.construyeargentina.com/el-parque-eolico-mas-grande-del-mundo

http://www.fierasdelaingenieria.com/las-plantas-de-energia-solar-mas-grandes-del-mundo/

http://espanol.cri.cn/1161/2011/06/16/1s219721_2.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusion 

http://www.explainingthefuture.com/helium3.html

http://es.gizmodo.com/nuevo-sistema-de-propulsion-por-fusion-promete-llevar-u-471861504