The Immortality Drive on the Space Station

I was watching an episode of Life After People on the History channel in which they were discussing the various ways humans are attempting to preserve the species. One of the ideas I found intriguing and had not been aware of myself is called the Immortality Drive.

A game developer, Richard Garriot, who coined the term MMORPG and created the games Taula Rasa and Ultima has created a microchip encoded with the DNA sequence of Stephen Hawking, comedian Stephen Colbert, and Playboy Playmate Jo Garcia. Garriot traveled to the space station himself last October on Soyusz TMA-13 to deliver the digitized DNA. The digitized DNA is stored along with a copy of “George’s Secret Key to the Universe’, a childrens book authored by Hawking and his daughter Lucy, on the Immortality Drive.

Upon further research I discovered Stephen Hawking and his daughter are participating in this project in hopes to raise awareness for the Archon X Prize for Genomics, a competition which awards $10 million dollars to the first person or team to sequence 100 human genomes within 10 days or less.

Being an avid RPGer I am surprised I had not heard of this and a search on ATS did not yield results either so I thought this might be an interesting discussion as to the validity of this preservation technique, the implications as to what, if anything, intelligent alien beings could do with the information should humans cease to exist, a hostile takeover of the ISS happens, and also the said participates of the project. I have no problem with the male choices but, couldn’t they have also chosen a better rounded variety of the female gender? From what I could find, Miss Garcia is the only female digitized on the Immortality Drive.

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[edit on 5/17/2009 by Whisper67]

Stephen Hawking, Stephen Colbert, Jo Garcia.

Smartest, Funniest, Hot?

Well guess that's what it all comes down to in the end, literally.

Good find though, I wonder if anyone can accomplish the task at hand.

[edit on 17-5-2009 by Republican08]

[edit on 17-5-2009 by Republican08]

[edit on 17-5-2009 by Republican08]

reply to post by Republican08


You have a good point there Republican08.

Combined, these three could arguably be one of the finest humans created!

It begs the question though, has this been done previously, example, US!

Were here, and some say they have the answer to why were here, but the bases is, well we don't know.

I hear tons of talk of how to keep the race going, and it involves nobody really being alive through it all, Michio Kaku likes the idea of throw dna into the universe, or black hole if capable.

Could this be how we got started out? It's not that unrealistic of a question, everything dies sooner or later, and as far as we know, not one species is ever going to go without seeing their extinction.

reply to post by Whisper67


I’ve recently tried to put together a post on genes and Biotech companies patenting patients genes.
Not quite finished with it but the debate is - in patenting genes, a company literally *owning* your unique body - will this be beneficial to humans, or not. (Once again our rights being disregarded for the good of the *all* - when it’s really the good of Big Pharma)...

Anyway - I fell into this post and the The Promise of Personalized Medicine - The X Prize Foundation.

Imagine the day when you and your doctor sit down to review a copy of your own personal genome. This vital information about your biology will enable your physician to inform you of your disease susceptibilities, the best ways to keep yourself healthy and how to avoid or lessen the impact of future illness.

The use of personal genetic information to predict disease susceptibility and guide proactive care has the power to transform our entire healthcare system.

So I've got a lot to think about now!
Patent vs. transforming health care, rights of a person vs. benefits to the whole species...

As for the prize, I wont be entering into the contest any time soon (har har) but it's fascinating isn't it. And Steven Hawkings's DNA at the Space Station - The Immortality Drive - that's incredible fascinating stuff!

Thanks for a great thread!

peace

In that episode of, "Life after people" the space station crashes back to Earth and is destroyed. The project failed.

It's still a good idea.

We need to find a way to get off this rock and out into the cosmos. We have all our eggs in one basket and that is never a good idea.

Things are changing though. We're discovering new planets out there all the time and I see a day when we send a ship into space with hundreds of vials of DNA and each vial is aimed at one of those planets that we have discovered that might harbor the proper conditions for life.

If only one of the seeds take, it was worth it.

Originally posted by mrwupy
In that episode of, "Life after people" the space station crashes back to Earth and is destroyed. The project failed.

This might have been some useful information to include in my OP, thank you so much for adding this information.

Originally posted by mrwupy
It's still a good idea.

We need to find a way to get off this rock and out into the cosmos.

I love your ideas here! As much money is wasted on projects I deem an absolute waste of thought, energy, and resources a true attempt to actually perpetuate the species would make much more sense to me and would find it more along the lines of how we should be thinking in these critical times of humanity. And why stop with the human species as well? Send other vials of DNA as well.

This ties back with what Republican08 said in his post: how can we be sure this hasn’t been done before. This is just as good as a theory as any other that I know.

And yes R8, I could listen to Michio Kaku for hours on end. I love what I’ve seen from him on time and quantum mechanics. Intense and resonating!

Silo – thank you so much for providing your link. I’d read your thread and thought the two paired nicely together. Thanks!

Choose your DNA wisely.
This reminds me of the original "Frankenstein" Movie in some way.
And like baseball cards, the best DNA gets the highest price.
Sounds like an Illuminati fad and scam.

Like not eating the damaged part of vegetables or animal organs lest
a disease was present in the animal, the DNA needs to be
scanned.

When I think of an immortality drive, I think of a computer where consciousness exists, not just DNA. I think the best example is from www.hulu.com....

I wonder if he put a copy of Ultima Online pre UO:R in there too?

Just an FYI - on the Science Channel tonight Michio Kaku is discussing time and immortality. Yes, of course it's a repeat but I can never get enough of watching Kaku! I hear he has a radio show in NY. I'm envious!

Mrwupy: I've discussed your ideas with a few friends this week and they think it's a 'smashing' idea! Nice! I gave you the credit too!

Originally posted by mrwupy
In that episode of, "Life after people" the space station crashes back to Earth and is destroyed. The project failed.

Could you put it out in a la Grange point where it would stay staionary and not at risk for crashing back into the earth.

[edit on 5/22/09 by FredT]