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July 11, 2023 sci-fiSpace Colonizationspace exploration0

Lunar Blues: The Problems of Living in a Moon Colony

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While living in a moon colony sounds plausible, as is described in Moon Luck by Scott Harral, there are issues people will have to face because of physiology.

Humanity can trace their origins back to many spots in the continent of Africa before they spread across the face of the Earth, becoming the apex species and essentially dominating the food chain. This is not an exaggeration; some of the most inhospitable places on Earth, like the Sahara Desert, the heights of Everest, and many others, have been inhabited by humans—there’s even a permanent settlement in Antarctica, which is considered to be one of the coldest areas on Earth. Such is the spirit of exploration that exists in the collective consciousness of humanity.

The Next Frontier: Space

With this in mind, there is now a question of where the next frontier is—and all answers seem to lead to outer space, which is the principal setting of most science fiction stories. This is not without standing. Humans have already developed the tech necessary to transport other humans off of Earth, and there have already been unmanned missions to other planets within and without the solar system. Yet, while a lot has been happening, there are only a few dozen active astronauts, and actually establishing proper human settlements is only still a theoretical dream.

The Possibility of a Moon Colony

While manned operations to space are seen as wonderful voyages akin to sailing on a ship, the reality is far more dangerous. Extended stays outside of Earth, the place where humans evolved to accommodate themselves, can bring many challenges; a lot is already known, and a far larger number are unknown. Therefore, learning how to live in the conditions of space is important to know before humanity can ever launch a plausible colonization program on other planets.

The only place that humanity currently has the greatest chance of colonizing is its closest celestial neighbor, the moon.

Human Physiology and the Lunar Environment

Living on the moon sounds like a dream come true for a lot of people, but that is because they have not considered what problems may arise when human beings are taken out of their natural habitats and pushed to alien environments. Living in a moon colony sounds plausible, as is described in Moon Luck by Scott Harral, but there are issues people will have to face because of their natural physiology. That is because the atmosphere and the geology of the moon are quite harsh and entirely different than what is present on Earth. For starters, there is no water on the moon, and there is no working atmosphere.

Here are the most pressing issues people will face when living on the moon:

The Strength of Gravity. On Earth, if you fall down, you are pulled down by the gravitation pull of the Earth. But on the surface of the moon, gravitational forces are only a sixth compared to that of Earth. This means that if there is to be a working moon colony, people have to forcefully adapt themselves to living with a significant reduction of muscle and bone mass.

For the body to properly acclimate to strong gravitational forces, the bones, and muscles have to strengthen themselves simply to keep humans standing upright—without this natural pressure, the bones and the muscle quickly weaken and, as a result, humans living in a moon colony might begin to shrink, which leads to the prevalence of osteoporosis, a disease that makes bones fragile and vulnerable to breakage.

Radiation Exposure. Although the atmosphere of the Earth has seen better days compared to the moon’s, it is simply a highly advanced filtration system that sifts the more harmful effects of the sun’s radiation, allowing the planet to safely take in the sun’s rays. The moon, on the other hand, has little to no atmosphere. This means that its ability to protect people from the sun is non-existent, which will lead to higher rates of skin cancer and other diseases for people living in a moon colony.

Circadian Rhythm. Because humans evolved on Earth, they are more attuned to the day and night cycles there. But for people living on the moon, their circadian rhythms are greatly disrupted. This is because a day on Earth lasts 24 hours while a day on the moon lasts for almost 720 hours.

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June 9, 2023 Guest Articlespace exploration0

Is A Sustainable Lunar Future Possible?

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What’s next for humans after their noteworthy accomplishment on the Moon? Is it possible for us to not only land on our feet on its surface but to build a civilization there?

A sustainable lunar future is far from reality, as it has always been a dream. Even so, it didn’t stop scientists worldwide from learning more about the Moon with utter fascination. We may have explored Mars numerous times in an attempt to find any evidence of life that grows on that red planet. Despite the slim chances, there are no long-term solutions, and the endeavor still needs to be improved.

On another note, that’s where author Scott Harral embarks on a literary journey that explores the possibility of humans occupying the Moon. Harral’s glimpse into the near future as we inhabit the Moon is evident in the book, as it makes us feel hopeful that there might still be another place for us somewhere.

A sustainable lunar future beyond this world

Even with the abundant knowledge of the Moon so far, countless things are yet to be seen—for example, the dark side of it. The Moon may have been responsible for illuminating our planet at night, but has anyone ever seen its version of nighttime? The side that is not facing the Earth?

If we were to desire a sustainable lunar future for the sake of prolonging humanity, there needs to be additional information gathered. It helps to assure us that we can live on the Moon if the Earth reaches past its prime.

Nowadays, lighter and cheaper models have been manufactured and launched to the Moon, emphasizing the need to prioritize lunar missions over the past decade. While there may not be enough space crafts that can carry all of us to the Moon in one go, the efforts towards a sustainable lunar future beyond this world are taking baby steps.

Setting sights on a return to the Moon and the drawbacks to it

The United States is one of the countries that made a tremendous win by setting foot on the Moon. However, with other pressing matters in society, the government is still determining whether to prioritize another lunar expedition again.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) focuses on returning to the Moon in 2024. The Artemis Project has been in the works for a long time, although it is still being determined whether NASA can realistically meet its goals or remain a lofty dream.

What may be the hindrances that pulled a stop to this?

After the government lobbied for the project, Congress outright rejected it, exceptionally requesting an additional budget for construction and expedition plans. NASA wanted to make more rocket boosters and a space capsule that could easily take astronauts to the Moon. Eas is also in a race with time, as they are worried that the Artemis Project will be left in the dust if the government won’t bat an eye on it. They are concerned that a sustainable lunar future will never see the light of day.

Experts are also in a race with time, worried that the Artemis Project will be left in the dust if the government won’t bat an eye on it. They are concerned that a sustainable lunar future will never see the light of day.

What does a sustainable lunar future offer us?

Other than quenching an insatiable scientific curiosity, space exploration, in general, isn’t just a show of force or economic power to those who can afford to do it. This is a noble endeavor that benefits humanity in the long run.

With each mission, even little bits of information unearth more knowledge we need regarding space. After all, the concept of even a sustainable lunar future came through the history of Apollo missions in technology. Satellites were born, enabling us to experience peak technological advancements from the palm of our hands.

Robotic missions overshadowing human efforts?

Lunar missions rely on a human to be on board. The eagerness to explore enabled us to create robots to head onto the Moon in our stead. There were also speculations concerning the capability of robots to collect minerals that will be sent for further geological studies.

Japan proved them wrong by sending Hayabusa2. It landed successfully on an asteroid with a mission to gather minerals and bring them back to Earth. However, in defense of human capability, some experts argue that it needs direct human intervention to understand geology to discover possible life forms. It would take so much effort to encode robots into their tasks compared to a human with knowledge and expertise to uncover what lies beyond.

Final thoughts

Regardless of the valid points, we all have a unified goal: to create a sustainable lunar future for everyone. Our planet is deteriorating, and we can save it if a collective effort exists. However, it helps to have a plan B in case we have nowhere else to go.

If we want to use the Moon as a Launchpad for future scientific innovations and the betterment of humanity, we have to drive ourselves to make it happen. Otherwise, we will continuously fight a losing battle and forever wish for what could have been had we tried to realize a sustainable lunar future.

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February 9, 2023 Guest Articlesci-fispace exploration0

Lunar Habitation: What Considerations Are to Be Made?

In Moon Luck by Scott Harral, he explores the initial stages of what lunar habitation might look like while still presenting a compelling sci-fi thriller.

Living on the moon has always been a cultural aspiration for the whole of humanity, with mentions of men on the moon and lunar rabbits dating back at least a thousand years. There have been plenty of modern stories about moon habitation, like Moon Luck by Harral and Artemis by Weir. 

Who doesn’t want to live on the moon? Out there in space, looking at the great blackness of the universe around the planet Earth. And jumping really, really, really high because the gravity’s so much lower there as compared to here.

Doesn’t that just sound like a wonderful future?

Almost everyone from every corner of the world has thought of the idea–of what it would be like living on the surface of the moon. And the hold of the idea on humanity’s collective unconscious hasn’t waned, especially since the moon landings and especially now that NASA has announced its intentions to create a permanent moon base by 2030. Perhaps living on the moon won’t be so far-fetched soon.

What Needs to Be Answered for Successful Lunar Habitation?

But before you get to packing and googling for tickets, what are the issues with building a base on the moon?

Remember, the conditions on the moon are entirely different from living on Earth. There’s no arable land, no obvious source of water, no animals, no atmosphere, etc., just to name a few.

Here are the main issues with living on the moon:

What Powers Everything?

For any society to function, there needs to be power. When humans first established the earliest civilizations, power was limited only to pure labor, the energy of hard work, and domesticated animals. When civilization progressed, and technology grew more sophisticated, the rushing waters of rivers were used to power mills; then, it was steam to power the earliest engines. When oil and natural gas were discovered, they powered better engines and generated electricity. Now, there are machines that can harvest the power of the sun, the wind, the waves, and more. Without power, a civilization stagnates.

On the moon, there are few sources of power that do not include what the settlers already brought with them. The only consistent source of energy would be that which comes from the sun: solar power.

Perhaps the lack of an atmosphere will make it easier for settlers to capture solar energy, but there are still issues with storage and other minutiae. Although nothing concrete has been determined, just the discovery of a solution is highly beneficial for any future planned settlement on the moon.

Where is the Living Space?

Another important requirement for a successful civilization is the territory, the space where the people will live, work, etc. Although the moon has large tracts of unclaimed land, it is not the best, to say the least. Because of an absence of water and vegetation, most of the moon’s surface is covered in rock and dust, which made the Apollo 17 astronauts’ eyes water and throats sore after contact. The absence of an atmosphere also makes the moon quite vulnerable to meteorites and radiation.

If there is to be habitable space on the moon, it would mean relying on sealed housing that allows for protection against radiation and the recycling of breathable air.

The establishment of a moon base would require taking advantage of prefabricated structures and modular systems for quick and easy installation. This is without considering the difficulty in laying out plumbing and water systems (although there might be further achievements waiting in the future).

How to Grow Food?

The most important aspect of maintaining civilization is food. You might have power, and you might have land, but without food, all of that crumbles into nothing the minute everyone starves. From a specific reductionist point of view, the progress of civilization can be seen as a journey toward increased food productivity. Nations can only prosper with a growing population of workers, you see, and the only way to facilitate that growth is through adequate food production and distribution.

Remember the earlier point about the power needed for civilizations to function? Human beings need the power to function, too, and, as far as anyone can see, that power comes from eating food. 

Luckily for any potential lunar base, there have been strides to establish methods of growing food in space and conditions similar to the surface of the moon.

 

Every year, there are discoveries and efforts in science and technology that make habitation on the surface of the moon ever closer to reality.

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December 8, 2022 sci-fispace exploration0

Come On, Hoop In: Going To The Moon

Photo by Pixabay

Building a lunar outpost has long detained humanity’s imagination. What would be the benefits to society that moon exploration could bring?

Are Earth’s endless biodiversity, fresh air, and the stable average temperature getting you down? Ever wanted to drop everything and set off to a place where life is nonexistent or more straightforward? Then take that 238,900-mile jaunt to the solar system’s launch deserted destination: The moon. 

Sounds heavenly? Unfortunately, it’ll take much more than a simple rocket trip to achieve lunar paradise. And the first people to set up shop on the moon probably won’t be building vacation homes and resorts —as of now, NASA wants to create what’s a gas station for future trips to Mars. 

According to astronauts, the moon’s lack of a genuine atmosphere does have somewhat of a “pseudo-atmosphere” called an exosphere. This is a magnetically suspended mix of particles and gasses stirred up from the lunar surface by the solar wind. But the elements that make up breathable air float around the moon at tiny concentrations compared to Earth. Taking a deep breath would be just as deadly on the moon as in the vacuum of space. 

There’s also the issue of gravity: the moon is only about 1/6th of Earth’s. Given what people know about the effects of long-term weightlessness on astronauts, lunar residents would have to take precautions to keep healthy. Exposure to microgravity on the International Space Station (ISS) has been shown to accelerate bone and muscle loss and create cardiovascular issues because working against gravity is part of what keeps our bodies fit. That’s why astronauts on the ISS spend hours a day exercising to compensate for their absence. While the moon’s lack of gravity isn’t quite as extreme, experts say living long-term in any environment with reduced gravity could be detrimental to human health.

Despite these problems identified during the moon explorations, people continue to look for ways to live on the moon. Here are the reasons why:

Enhance engineering and technological capabilities. The moon presents numerous exciting engineering challenges. It is an excellent place to test flight technologies and capabilities, life support systems, and exploration techniques to decrease the risks and increase the productivity of the future mission. Humankind’s journey will provide everyone with the first experience of living and working in another world, allowing people to test advanced materials and equipment in space’s temperature and radiation extremes. People will learn how to best employ robots to explore remote locations, support human tasks, and gather information in potentially unstable regions. 

Medical Researchers. Keeping astronauts healthy in a higher-radiation and lower-gravity environment than Earth is a vital challenge for medical researchers. The potential advantages to all humans are tremendous in terms of preventing and treating bone and muscle loss and some cancers. Other advances in medicine will follow!

Exploration of the moon’s resources also creates new business opportunities for technological innovations, applications, and utilization of new resources. There were minerals found on the moon that are called lunar minerals. Mineral resources are significant because these minerals exhibit a wide range of industrially important electrical, optical, magnetic, and catalytic properties. 

A base for further exploration. Finally, establishing moon outposts enables adventurers and explorers to extend settlement and investigation to moons and planets beyond Earth. There is a whole universe of unknowns waiting for humanity to investigate! 

Sci-fi novels such as “Moon Luck” by Scott Harral narrate the story of astronauts living on the moon for extended periods. It is also the story of the astronaut scientists and astronaut explorers as they grow plants on the moon, explore and find mineral ores, conduct experiments and research, and develop animosities and close relationships. When one of the base’s senior members dies in what seems to be an accident, the story follows the trail to discover the actual perpetrator, leaving us with the question: Is it murder if it happens on the moon?

Why do you think humanity should journey to the moon and ahead? 

Moon exploration is a global undertaking. It provides a shared challenge that requires investment by many nations. Success in one’s journey to the moon and beyond requires the involvement and preparation of every scientist in different fields of expertise, such as; planetary scientists, engineers, medical researchers, physicists, chemists, mathematicians, mechanics, materials scientists, architects, doctors, communications and safety specialists, computer programmers, and many others. So be part of the journey as this would benefit the future generations of humankind.

 

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September 21, 2022 Guest Articlesci-fispace exploration1

Breakthrough of Science & Technology, Life’s Advancements

Will life be the same without science? Can the world survive without technology’s advancement?

If there is one thing that is consistently progressing in this world, that is the constant progression of science and technology. The existence of science and technology and their impact on human life and this world are present and evident everywhere and anywhere. The cup of joe you have every morning results from scientific experimentation finely tuned by technology.

The shoes and clothes you wear result from what science and technology can do to dress up men. The food you eat, the books you’re reading, the vehicles you’re riding on, and almost anything that makes life convenient for an individual is products of science and technology.

This tells how essential are the function and use of science and technology.

Moon Luck by Harral is a book that exemplifies the benefits of science and technology. Author Scott Harral tells the story about 30 astronauts residing on the moon for purposes of carrying out experiments and research, with a twist of suspenseful plot in the form of a murder mystery. The book is a one-of-a-kind science fiction, using science and technology at the core of the uniquely created mystery plot.

Overview of Science & Technology

Although people often regard these two words as having the same meaning, there’s a distinction between what is science and what is technology.

Science has a practical definition. Science is commonly described as a structured study of the natural and physical world. The study involves a methodology of objective observation, measurement and data, investigation, and experimentation.

Science is a quest for knowledge. When people started getting curious, asking what, when, why, who, where, and how, that’s how science as a branch of study started to evolve. For this study to progress, it needs tools to support its research, findings, and conclusion.

This is when technology comes in – which leads next to the meaning of technology.

From the above understanding of what science is, anyone can say that technology is already the application of scientific knowledge.

Role in Life’s Progress

The book Moon Luck is a good case in point that depicts science and technology’s roles in people’s lives. People could go to the moon by combining these two pieces of knowledge. Individuals were able to calculate and plot how people would be able to survive life in outer space.

Even within just the Earth’s surface, miracles are already taking place because of the efficient utilization of these two studies. From the building infrastructures people inhabit to the meals and dishes they eat to the healing sustenance such as drugs and medicines that can overcome sickness and prolong life, this world is already a basketful brimming with science and technology.

Because these so-called “miracles” are the answers people have been seeking throughout their lives.

Technology can create those dream homes if people want to live in comfortable and convenient houses.

If people want to go from point A to point B in the shortest amount of time, science could help formulate a plan for it to come true, and technology can create fast-moving modes of transportation.

And if a person wants to communicate with someone on the other side of the Earth, it can be done so fast and efficiently – not to mention at a lower cost!

The role that science and technology play in life’s progress is a problem-solver. They make things easy and convenient for people. They provide the answers that are seemingly impossible to solve. They offer solutions to challenging problems.

In short, science and technology made this world a habitable place.

What would the world be without science and technology

Unimaginable. If famous Italian astronomer, physicist, and scientist Galileo Galilei didn’t insist back in the 1500s that the world is round, everyone would have been scared to travel the globe for fear of falling off from a “flat-surfaced earth.” Suppose Isaac Newton didn’t get hit (supposedly!) by an apple in the head; people would have no idea about the law of gravity or physics or the explanation why things fell coming from the top and not from the bottom.

Conversely, if Benjamin Franklin didn’t endeavor to fly a kite with a key attached to it during a thunderstorm, everyone would still be in the dark ages without electricity.

A world without science and technology is like getting lost in a jungle without a map or in the middle of a vast ocean with no compass or anything to guide you in the right direction. A world without science and technology is a life without meaning or purpose since no one has risked the chance to find answers to their questions.

Ultimately, the only way for life to progress and advance is through the push of science and technology.

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April 27, 2022 sci-fispace exploration0

The Legacy of the Genre: How Sci-fi shaped the Imagination of the Age

The legacy of the SF is conjured by the extraordinary vision for the future, which is the epitome of the genre. The genre’s golden age dates back from the mid-1930s to the late 1950s after Pulp fiction became a sensation in 1920. Over time, Sci-Fi became a constant in the lives of today’s generation.

Why do we read science fiction?

Perhaps more than any other fiction genre, Sci-fi is often written with a social purpose or a goal. Writers in this genre often bewail the vanity of trying to predict the future in their more metafictional works. Instead, science fiction is written to caution against the horrors of war, death, and other humanistic dilemmas that glorify human ingenuity. Like Moon Luck by Wayne Scott Harral. The book not only focused on the typical gest of science fiction but also explored the other dimensions of the human mind. Mr. Harral’s insight isn’t like the other. His imagination overflows with brilliance and enigma, which would set you on fire and reread it. A kind of book which demands critical thinking and reflection; a clear example of how science fiction must be read.

Furthermore, Science Fiction readers must seek something reflective, stimulate motives, and rebuttal the reality. So really, why do we read science fiction? The most straightforward answer is escapism: being into a more fun world than humdrum reality. To in the situation where you can reflect while being amazed by the imagination poured by the writer. Something worthy of your time.

But, when did it all begin?

The great spectacles of every era lie in its imaginations. During the time of the Post-Socratic age, the fiction of the people heavily relied on myths and astronomical phenomena, and it continues during the time of the Pre-Socratic age, where thinkers such as Philosophers, Mathematics, Astronomers, Doctors, Legislators heavily relied on the systems that forged their thoughts and approach in the discipline.

The cosmology of the ancient times handed ideas that were essential for the upcoming eras, especially in astronomy. Most of the modern concepts stemmed from the concepts of ancient Greek Cosmology. Ancient Greek cosmology started from Miletus in the fifth century, a city on the coast of the Aegean Sea.

As one of the most robust cities during that time, it thrived in its various postulations. Moreover, the city is well-known for its scientific, philosophical, and literary, and all came from Milesian schools. It is where it all began; the revolution of thinking thrived and prospered. The Milesians understood that it could change their world as they pondered it through reasoning and direct observation. The so-called empirical replaced the earlier narrative with an understanding of how the world came from nothing into something and how it works. But that doesn’t mean that the tradition of imagination vanished – other genres seriously came to being within this new progression of human thinking. Some thinkers that went from the Milesian School developed even more different and sophisticated approaches to observation beyond experimental by opting for an imaginative attitude through the creation of hypotheses. It was the physicist Thales who manifested this. Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes, three of the seven sages of ancient Greece, undoubtedly changed the course of their time. These three Milesian thinkers were the builders of the discipline of cosmology, soon unifying philosophical thinking in pre-Socratic times and scientific theory. A new system of thought started in the cosmos.

The most incredible imagination known to have inspired the science fiction genre was One Thousand and One Nights. Other dated back to medieval literature, where the idea of a being heavily inspired the thinking of that time as the creator of “God.” Another was from Proto-science fiction from the Enlightenment and Age of Reason era.  In the 19th-century, the transitions and the system of thought began to flourish. Shelley’s Frankenstein was a notable book during that time. In this year also, H.G Wells wrote his two books: The Time Machine and the Invisible Man.

The Early 20th century is the birth of Pulp Fiction and modernist writing. During this era, science fiction became well-known to the mass audience. The birth of mainstream publishers paved the way for the genre to reach its golden age. Many writers wrote magnificent and thrilling works of fiction, and people consume every ounce of words on paper. The spread of cyberpunk to other parts of the marketplace’s ideas marks the beginning of the contemporary age of science fiction. Above all, cyberpunk has influenced films, anime, and the emerging medium of video games.

 

 

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