Okay, yeah... if there's a method by which a fertilized egg can be matured without the need of a biological host, I think much of the problem of maintaining ecosystems by keeping animal samples in a lifeboat could be solved by keeping sperm/egg samples of various animals within the lifeboat.  How big is a sperm bank's storage unit?  True, this would be on a much larger scale, but still minuscule relative to the cost of maintaining the animals/plants themselves.

That is exactly my argument, Simon.

This thread is very specifically talking about the benefits and functionality of space colonies.  My argument from the start is that a space colony could serve as a lifeboat with genetic materials to reestablish life on Earth if shit hits the fan.

As you point out, if an apocalyptic event on Earth was too catastrophic to the people of Earth, any lifeboat on Earth would be redundant, either because the lifeboat itself may be destroyed or the people inside may somehow be harmed as a result of the cataclysm's after effects.

However, if the lifeboat in question is a colony in space (assuming space colonization is actually feasible), the lifeboat would be able to avoid many cataclysms an earth-based lifeboat would nt.

Ok, so next question then Simon.

If we can make gold and other resources...why are we in our current debt situation?

I am digging at a point that I want other people to admit to because I already know the answer to the question

"Because lead is stable, forcing it to release three protons requires a vast input of energy, such that the cost of transmuting it greatly surpasses the value of the resulting gold." - from the link

Is that what you're digging to?

Genetic experiments are producing some things from creatures which normally wouldn't produce those things, but... *has Aliens nightmares for decades*

The only thing we need in space is huge weapons. Lots of huge weapons.

"i wonder if electronics work near the light of speed"

The answer is yes, and we can know this for certain because we are already traveling at light speed relative to whatever else in the universe which is currently traveling at light speed.

The stupidity of my statement?  Yes, please.  Point away.

not another alien theory!, and vkemp it is impossible to know if its billions of years away, currently the only way for us to know where a black hole is is by watching it devour energy emitting substances. aswell anything with a strong enough electric feild can cause just as much damage as a black hole when it comes to life.

and xeno, claiming that we move at the speed of light in refference to something else that is moving does not mean we are moving at that rate, nor does it mean that energy works in this condition. that is the same that as saying i see people pass me at 120 MPH on the highway so give them a ticket, when in fact we are both moving at 60 MPH towards each other. there is no reason to claim stupidity though because in the end it could prove to be the same mechanics. but we cannot assume it.

> xeno syndicated wrote:

> "i wonder if electronics work near the light of speed"

The answer is yes, and we can know this for certain because we are already traveling at light speed relative to whatever else in the universe which is currently traveling at light speed.

If I didn't know any better, I would say that this is a troll. Ok, so here are the things that are wrong with that statement...you are clearly stating that the other objects are travelling at the speed of light, and we are merely just a point of reference. If I were a tree on the side of the road, and a car (for whatever reason) is travelling in a straight, at the speed of light, away from that tree, the tree is still stationary in time and space. The time difference remains the same, but for the tree, time continues to pass at the same rate that it has always known (simply because there is an object in the universe that is travelling at the speed of light, doesn't mean that all time stands still...it only does that for the actual object that is maintaining the speed of light in reference to point of origin). This can be seen in all experiments done to prove/disprove Einsteins Theory of Special Relativity. If what you are saying is true, then all time on Earth is stationary, and we are not decaying (yay, I will never get old...or even born!).

You clearly stated that the other object is travelling at the speed of light...I mean, I almost feel like I need you to prove that the above comment is not a troll!

EDIT: This is why they say that if you were to travel at the speed of light AWAY from Earth for a year, turn around and travel at the speed of light back again, something like 1000 years will have passed on Earth...I am quoting this from memory, and I am too tired to find a reference...also the figures could be wrong (YAY! I am also becoming lazy and stupid and making unsubstianated claims!)

Or that light produced on a spaceship traveling at light-speed will travel at 2x light-speed. =P

Wornstrum,

There is no frame of reference.  Nothing is stationary in time or space.  First, your tree is spinning with the rotation of the Earth at, what 20,000 kph?  If it weren't for the effects of gravity, it would be uprooted and launched into outer-space at that speed in a flash due to centrifugal forces.  Second, the planet is orbiting the sun, at another speed.  Third, the sun around which the planet is orbiting is itself bobbing and weaving and bounding about in space due to gravitation effects placed upon it by other stars.  Fourth, the sun, along with all of these other stars, are orbiting the center of the galaxy at astronomical velocities.  Fifth, the galaxy is bobbing and weaving and bounding about in space due to gravitational effects of other galaxies.  Sixth, about such and such billion years ago, all of these galaxies EXPLODED out from an infinitesimal point in space (which, for all we know, was itself bobbing and weaving bounding about in space at the time it exploded!)   AND these galaxies EXPLODED at something like, what, 2/3rds the speed of light?  AND, SEVENTH, - and get this - these galaxies are apparently SPEEDING UP rather than slowing down.

Yes, it is a FACT that electronics work at near the speed of light, BECAUSE WE Certainly ARE ALREADY TRAVELING AT NEAR THE SPEED OF LIGHT IF NOT THE SPEED OF LIGHT ITSELF.

> Einstein wrote:

> Vacuum

Vacuum does not move

The only thing you know regarding relativity is you, Einstein, can't know anything for certain.

I, however, can.