Habitat Contamination

You make the point better in two paragraphs than I did in an essay. I
definitely fall on the side of the argument that asserts that an orbital
colony would become (whether intended or not) an ecosystem from the moment
it was created, and that designers would probably have a complex job just
cataloging which nano-smurfs had gotten aboard, much less trying to control
them.

I think this thread started when someone brought up quarantine requirements.
The author seemed to think that an orbital colony could be made entirely
disease-free with just some well-thought-out policies. While I agree that
keeping infectious diseases at a minimum in an orbital colony would be
desirable, I didn't want to see anyone betting the orbital farm on a 100%
microbe-free citizenry--it would be neither possible nor desirable.

What about a hypoallergenic colony for the highly allergic? Or a low
bacteria colony, for a immune-compromised colonists? Or a wine-making
colony with just the right noble rot molds on board to sweeten the ripening
grapes? It's worth a try some day.

Brad W

PS for the latest on cruise ship gastroenteritis outbreaks I recommend the
CDC website, www.cdc.gov