So we're in a universe that's set 900 or so years into the future, and in that time period we've not only overcome our basic instincts to murder each other as a species on-site, based upon geographical boundaries, religion, et all - but we've also harnessed the science of deep-space travel, terraforming, and establishing and sustaining Earth-like biospheres on far-flung plants. Hooray Humanity! But let's take a look at what modern science has accomplished (or failed to accomplish) here in the dark and dirty present. With discussions about upcoming manned missions to Mars ongoing, we have to look at what we can do now. Mars is a long way from here, and supply/survival considerations are paramount, as discussed in movies like The Martian - where pretty much everything that can go wrong does - Murphy gets his vote, and he votes quite a bit. Of course, nobody on that mission was there to terraform Mars or set up an Earth-like biosphere. Okay, so to it - Can we do it, as a species - create a self-sustaining biosphere on the surface of a planet otherwise hostile to human life? Biosphere 2 provides us a brief snap-shot of the level of human ingenuity (or lack of it) IRT establishing and maintaining a human-friendly biosphere. From: http://gizmodo.com/the-controversial-story-of-a-real-life-biodome-in-the-a-511412851 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Biodome wasn't just the title of a 90s movie starring Pauly Shore and a Baldwin brother. Two decades ago, it was a real project just north of Tucson where for two years scientists lived inside a three-acre utopian greenhouse called Biosphere 2. What could go wrong? Everything, apparently! Biosphere 2 was and remains an amazing undertaking, despite its ultimate failure. It was a giant space-age ark in the middle of the desert devoted to exploration and experimentation, where inhabitants produced all their own food and oxygen and recycled their own waste. But it was mired in controversy and riddled with bad press from the get-go. And believe it or not, it was pretty difficult for the eight sphere dwellers to live in the same confined space for two long years without getting on each other's nerves. Eventually, things went downhill, and a second mission was cut short prematurely. Biosphere 2 is now a research facility owned by the University of Arizona, but the story of its start is an incredible—albeit slightly strange—bit of scientific history. [Vimeo via Avant Garde Diaries via This Is Colossal] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Lots of information is available on what most agree was a failure - though many others couch the experiment as a success, based upon what was learned. Interestingly, no one has attempted to replicate a large-scale experiment based upon those lessons to discover whether or not success can be achieved (a self-sustaining biosphere in an artificial environment). But shouldn't it be done, if trips to Mars are being seriously discussed? Or is establishing and maintaining an Earth-like biosphere simply impossible with current technology? IRT Star Citizen and 900 years into the future - sure, we can introduce the mighty science of handwavium, but looking for something a bit more in-depth in the way of discussion here. Thoughts?