The Gravity Option

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, "Lucio de Souza Coelho"
wrote:
>
> On Fri, Apr 11, 2008 at 10:54 PM, kenjopp wrote:
> (...)
> > Does everyone in this group assume that space colonies will be set up
> > to simulate gravity?
>
> Personally I assume that as an option with higher probability of
> actually occurring. Historically, humans have engineered the
> environment when something on it does not suit humans well, and I
> don't see why space would be an exception.
>
> However, I do not discard the other option - engineering humans for
> living in weightlessness. I just think that is less likely to occur.
>
> > I am intrigued by the prospect of weightless civilization. I realize
> > that weightlessness produces effects on biological tissues that are
> > seen as "problems". But these effects (bone softening and muscle
> > atrophy), it seems to me, are problems only for people who plan to
> > return to Earth, or other planets.
>
> The problem is that bone and muscle degeneration are not the only
> consequences, and perhaps not even the most important ones. The immune
> system gets noticeably depressed, for instance. So I think that some
> genetic interventions may be necessary to adjust those abnormalities.
>
> (And then, why stop on that? Given a sufficiently advanced genetic
> engineering, one can think of "bat people" with hands partially
> morphed into wings - or perhaps very large fins would be a better
> analogy - able to swim inside a zero-g atmosphere. Of course one can
> argue that those beings would not be exactly human anymore...)
>
Good point about the depression of immune response. I am familiar
with that consequence of weightlessness. I assume that the air
filtration in a space colony, probably including irradiation, will
super sanitize the atmosphere. In thinking about this topic, I try to
keep in mind that access to energy will not be an issue. Everything
will be solar driven. Given that, I figure space colonists will do
WHATEVER IT TAKES to engineer a suitable environment.