Michio Kaku & Galactic Colonization

So in the video Michio Kaku talks about just a few ideas on how humanity could begin galactic colonization. The ideas are many, who knows which method is the best. So I decided to make a thread to discuss just that.

What do you think would be a good idea for galactic colonization?

Any ideas are welcome, wether possible or not, sci fi or realism, all ideas are just ideas but may lead to newer and more interesting ideas.

So come one come all on the voyage of the mind into Galactic Colonization and all the possibilities.

First we the people need to take back control of our existence here on Mother Earth. Than we can chose to spend money for exploration of space rather than the exploding of human heads. Only then can we really entertain the idea of Galactic Colinization.

Could you imagine a bunch of monkey in space blowing # up because "they" (whom or whatever) hate us for our freedoms?

a reply to: FormOfTheLord

Galactic colonization would be the ideal way to set the stage for eventual wars between planets, solar systems if not even Star Wars between galaxies...and, and, (breathlessly) even between universes! OK, OK, you get the drift?

I base that view on the fact that we can't get along on this simple little planet, so how in the world (PI) can we expand and evolve independently in different, perhaps even drastically so, environments and sanely interact? You know, the Star Warsmovies are far from being simple science fiction jokes. They are simply the story of future of human expansion away from this place. Throw in some genuine ETs in with quarreling and competing humans and you can guarantee trouble. 'Sorta like the Greek story, in this case, Ulysses goes to space.

a reply to: FormOfTheLord

Interesting subject i cannot watch the video right now but i will later.

Any other worlds outside of our own star system that we do decide to colonise will require some form of wormhole technology(Instantaneous/semi instantaneous travel) if we wish to communicate, trade or return from said world to our own Earth. This is simply due to the time dilation effects that FTL travel will impose. Unless of course said colonization is a result of a mass exodus from our own world, if that's the case the point becomes moot.

I really don't rate this man, I remember his discovery channel quote,

"For another species to reach Earth the MUST be hundreds if not thousands of times more advanced".

Considering he is supposed to be open minded and able comprehend theoretical things, what if said species was like an Ant born in a far away Galaxy which just needed a breath full of oxygen then return to its colony to fertilise eggs in oxygen and die and it didn't know anything other than that?

They could be as thick as mince for all he knows.

The way I think we will do it, we will send probes so we understand what machines we need to make power, water and oxygen.

We will then send Drones to create life support, modular unmanned systems creating a greenhouse for food, a power plant oxygen maker and water plant and accomodation.

Then explorers will go in one craft as another carries more life support, the explorers will enter the drone made structure and link it all up. The life support modules will be sent and the explorers will finish making their new home Mk1.

After a while the next crafts will go, unmanned to expand the base and create the mines (or whatever reason we are colonising - might be just an outpost) so more tools to make it as self sufficient as possible.

Once we have done that with the planets we can reach, until we invent a new form of propulsion, I'm afraid we aren't going anywhere!

a reply to: Forensick

From our perspective here on mother Earth those probes would not return any data for 1000s of years. What would be the point?

I suppose future generations may reap the benefits of the data but that's 10-20 generations down the line, that's one hell of a long term investment.

we could create a multi generational craft, giant cities flying through space that the children or grandchildren of the original crew would take over piloting, and use it as resources to create the colony once it arrived. SiFi writers have been imagining this senerio for decade (ie: Ather C Clark et al.) the big issue is building it which would have to take place in space as such a massive ship would never be able to be launched from earth.

there are countless places in our Galaxy the Milky Way where we could go "next time"

Space Has been explored already by many species not just Earthly Humans like us

so what kind of Utopia would you like us to create ?

a reply to: Daavin

Your post reminds me of the SyFy mini-series "Ascension." So many ideas presented within that show that humanity has to deal with, either before or during the operation of a similar type of craft. On the surface it seems like such a simple idea to just shoot some ppl off into space to create a new colony, vs how the descendents would feel about their place in their world of that craft.

Personally I would be all for it myself. I mean no matter what you view as the future of humanity, all of us being stuck on this singular rock is a death sentence for our species. The Earth is constantly undergoing changes, as well as Sol, that will make Earth inhospitable to life as we currently know it after so much time.

If a civilization reaches the 5K years of industrialization, and there's sufficient resources, cooperation and economic development is not stagnant, it might be possible to 'get of world' but here is how it will be done.

1. Selective breeding and genetic manipulation will create a 'space-faring genome', which will be smaller size, resistance to radiation, ability to thrive for long periods in relative isolation and confinement, and body composition highly augmented cybernetically.

2. Sending of nanoprobes, which will 'find' the right worlds.

3. Creation of artificial, off-planet worlds, like Dyson spheres, which the now, Type II civilization will populate. At first these will be built near the home world and later they will 'roam', having conquered inertia-less travel with new propulsion methods. The roaming parts will be sent to the worlds found by the nano-probes.

4. Evolution of homo-sapiens into cyber-sapiens in which the consciousness is moved into a cybernetic body composed of self-healing and self-repairing materials, carbon nano-fibers, and internal nano-bots. Perhaps these beings will be able to live in space. At that time the need for a 'planet' might become unnecessary.

Do not delude yourself that the current fleshy, corpulent beings that are now dwelling deep inside the atmosphere of our planet will be the ones to 'go there' and colonize the near regions of the galaxy. We are really a 'dying breed'.

We need to focus on taking care of this world before going out and colonizing other planets. Too many people got influenced by shows like Lost in Space and Star Trek. I think NASA must have funded the creation of those TV shows.

originally posted by: rickymouse
We need to focus on taking care of this world before going out and colonizing other planets. Too many people got influenced by shows like Lost in Space and Star Trek. I think NASA must have funded the creation of those TV shows.

I agree! The apparent lack of human willingness to actually cooperate in a joint effort other than war will doom not only our ability to reach the stars, but to even continue existing on this planet. All it takes is one knothead with nukes to set off a couple and it's adios amigos.

Before we set our sights on space travel perhaps the first order of business would be to work for global peace and justice. idk...just a thought.

a reply to: olaru12

Bad idea.

I believe the one thing that will save us from what we have been warned of by famous scientists such as Stephen Hawkings is our warlike nature.

If we do encounter aliens - and they are aggressive or just plain don't like us, then it is only our ability to fight and our warlike nature that will save us from extinction.

I don't see how world peace has anything to do with space colonization. In fact, I believe that it is war that is one of the defining factors that will eventually give us the ability to not only colonize space, but also be a dominant factor in the evolution of the galaxy.

a reply to: fedeykin

If Humanity ever devises a working solution to interstellar travel any alien races out there should probably start crapping there breeks considering the true evils we are capable of perpetrating. Which is probably the reason for Earth being a prison planet.

We dont play nice with others, simple fact we cannot even get along with nature!

originally posted by: FormOfTheLord
What do you think would be a good idea for galactic colonization?

Until we can develop some kind of space or time skirting propulsion, our attempts to colonize the galaxy are going to be very limited. However, without using some heretofore unknown power source, we can still colonize the galaxy and eventually the universe by sending our offspring -- super-intelligent, self-replicating machines.

They have the advantage of not needing such a fussy environment as our own delicate and short-lived little bodies, and they also have the capability of being shut down for the thousands of years it would take to get to another suitable planet then wake themselves up and get to work.

This is a long-term thing. But the idea would be that the machines would program themselves to be smarter over time, develop faster and better ways to transport themselves, and gradually speed up the process. As big as it is, colonizing the galaxy could be done in a relatively short period of time. Of course, our machine creatures wouldn't exactly be US, and they probably wouldn't look a lot like us when they got back to Earth (if ever).

But that's about all we can hope for as such small, weak little organic animals on a backwater planet. A tiny bit of reflected glory.

a reply to: andy06shake

Some people cannot get along with others... many can. If we're to survive as a species, (and I can, personally, think of a few folks who deserve to exist and are of benefit!) then we're going to have to expand our base of operations off Earth as she is a fickle planet.

Once you get a handle on previous extinction events, it seems pretty clear that crap happens...gamma bursts, super nova, asteroids, volcanism, etc., etc., ... and we'd be smart to spread out a bit.

I also think that that effort of exploration/colonization will bring us together and lead to a more equatable economic and political method.

I'll breath easier once we have a toe-hold elsewhere.. .then the crazies here can do what they want... some will have escaped the nuthouse.

Nuts and bolts craft will not take us to the stars. I know it looks cool and romantic in the movies and games but over the long haul and I do mean long haul, materials wear out, oxidize, corrode, and cease to function. Even our space stations and satellites, are like trailer parks in space with junk falling off and drifting away all the time; some junk even falling back to Earth. That's not the technology to explore space with. Perhaps a totally different type of mind set needs to be explored for space exploration. Quantum jumping, Remote Viewing, teleportation or other more psychic driven methods. We haven't been to the moon since 1969, 50 years, the perfect place for launching a deep space craft. What's that tell you?



I don't want to rain on anyone's parade but there are practical questions that need answers before we launch on pie in the sky fantasies.

Last but not least....who pays for it? we're broke and borrowing money from the Chinese. If you want to pursue a future off planet; learn to speak Chinese.

a reply to: olaru12

True enough... unless those shadowy tales of warp drives and/or alternative power plants are true... or will be.

But, ignoring the interstellar problems, spreading through the local Solar system will be a fine start... and building a space elevator out of Earth's gravity well is feasible ... soon, if not already. And that would make travel to space far, far cheaper.

And really, with 3-D printing advancements, robotics, raw materials in Asteroids and planets, all is in place for some exiting times and expansion.

The primary problems are resource distribution and political one-up-man-ship... as has been usual. I have naive optimism that will be overcome.

originally posted by: Aliensun
a reply to: FormOfTheLord

Galactic colonization would be the ideal way to set the stage for eventual wars between planets, solar systems if not even Star Wars between galaxies...and, and, (breathlessly) even between universes! OK, OK, you get the drift?

I base that view on the fact that we can't get along on this simple little planet, so how in the world (PI) can we expand and evolve independently in different, perhaps even drastically so, environments and sanely interact?

There would be no need.

There are billions of habitable planets, most of them won't have anyone on them. The reason we war over stuff on Earth usually come down to control of resources, territories etc.

If you've got nearly 50 billion places you can go why would you fight over a handful?

Science Check:



As far as sci-fi goes Star Trek would seem to be more accurate than Star Wars.