feedback needed on TEDx talk

wlm_efn@... [spacesettlers] wrote:

> The part saying that Mars colonists would have to live underground is not
> true. There could be domes with water inside the dome surface and/or
> atmosphere if deep enough. I'd edit that out. This may sound like a minor
> point, but the speech is to young adults and honesty is important.

I'm being honest -- I'd like to see a study supporting this claim.
There's no way atmosphere under a dome would have anywhere near enough
mass to make any noticeable difference to cosmic rays. And a water dome
would have to be something like 3-4 meters thick to knock the cosmic
rays down enough, if my calculations are right. I've never seen any
serious proposal for building a large dome that thick, have you?

Realistically, I think it's virtually certain that Martian (or Lunar)
colonists would be living underground, at least until we have something
like advanced nanotech or mind uploading (which is too speculative to
consider for a talk like this).

> In its place I would mention, presented in a rather dramatic fashion for the
> high schoolers, the ever-present gravity wells around any planet or moon,
> and how not having these around is a pointed advantage.

This is a good point. Hmm, I'll have to think about how to get this
point across briefly.

Best,
- Joe