Why we need to colonize Mars and utilize Thorium fuel.

There are nearly 7 billion people living on the Earth. The human population is expected to break 10 billion by 2050 (baring any major disasters/wars). The Earth cannot sustain those numbers. We will eventually begin to kill ourselves through massive famine and competition for resources. Right now we are ignoring the two biggest solutions to our problems.

1. Space

2. Thorium

1. We need to start colonizing the Moon and Mars. As it stands now we have all of our eggs in one basket. If a rogue asteroid were to strike, if nuclear war would break out, or if a super pathogen would emerge we could lose all of the progress that we have made in the last 1000 years or even worse, go extinct. If we can build permanent, self-sufficient colonies on the Moon and Mars (and other planetoids like Europa, Ceres, etc) we can ensure the survival of our species.
We can also literally mine for water, as we have proven that there are large amounts of frozen water beneath the surface of both the Moon and Mars. Not to mention that Europa is completely covered in frozen water ice.
There is also more gold, silver, and iron in most asteroids than we have ever mined from the Earth.
But how would we power such colonies? That brings me to number 2.

2. Thorium Nuclear Reactors. Thorium is much more abundant on the Earth (and on the Moon) than Uranium and it is so much safer. Thorium melts at a very low temperature and a reactor would not need a water coolant, it melts at a low enough temperature that it would cool itself by convection. We currently have enough Thorium already mined to power the entire Earth for decades. We aren't using Thorium right now because coal companies would lose too much profits, and the lobbyists in Washington can't have that.

Wow who would have thought Blizzard entertainment with the starcraft series would be the solution to the global energy crisis.

The video is very compelling and seems like the best avenue to be going down.

Oh wait big oil would wage war before they let these great ideas out of the bag.....

reply to post by SG-17

1. We need to start colonizing the Moon and Mars. As it stands now we have all of our eggs in one basket. If a rogue asteroid were to strike, if nuclear war would break out, or if a super pathogen would emerge we could lose all of the progress that we have made in the last 1000 years or even worse, go extinct. I

I'm not going anywhere. Who the hell wants to live on Mars or the Moon? I'm keeping all my eggs in the Earth basket. If an asteroid strikes, then I guess it's my time to go. I don't know why so many people have this burning desire to see the human race continue on forever. Look at what we do! We cause more pain and destruction than anything else. It is in our nature to have these traits, so even if we started over, we would probably wind up right back where we are today.

I know it sounds pessimistic. I'm just trying to keep it real, here.

reply to post by SG-17


We're already working on Thorium research in the good old UK

www.dailymail.co.uk...

Originally posted by SG-17
2. Thorium Nuclear Reactors. Thorium is much more abundant on the Earth (and on the Moon) than Uranium and it is so much safer. Thorium melts at a very low temperature and a reactor would not need a water coolant, it melts at a low enough temperature that it would cool itself by convection. We currently have enough Thorium already mined to power the entire Earth for decades. We aren't using Thorium right now because coal companies would lose too much profits, and the lobbyists in Washington can't have that.

I don't know that we need to colonize Mars or not (I'm not against it, but currently there's no efficient way to do it), but if we want to break ourselves away from fossil fuels, thorium reactors are the way to go. There is enough thorium held in reserves for our energy needs for about 100 years in America along. There is enough thorium in the Earth to fuel the world's needs for about 10,000 years.

Also, thorium nuclear plants don't melt down. They require an initial power source to get the thorium rods (or pellets, or whatever configuration) started. If the power goes out, there's no meltdown. They are just as efficient as uranium plants, safer, cleaner than anything other than solar and wind, and can't easily be turned into nuclear weapon fuel.

Unfortunately, thorium is not precious enough to go to war over, kill citizens of sovereign nations over, or rape the land for. So it likely won't come to pass.

/TOA

reply to post by NightGypsy


Despite our failings, humanity has accomplished many great things. It would be a shame to see it all disappear in an instant.