Free Republic

Will interstellar space travel save humanity? Scientists predict artificial ‘homes’ in space will have to a become a reality - and say ‘warp drives’ could be the answer The vast distances between solar systems combined with the speed-of-light limit puts severe constraints on the realities of space travel This could be overcome using some form of worm hole or warp drive Another world would likely have an environment that is unbreathable Terraforming is an option, but this would be challenging and expensive Interstellar-style spinning habitats would be a more sensible option

WASHINGTON, D.C. – What are the limits of organic life in planetary systems? It’s a heady question that, if answered, may reveal just how crowded the cosmos could be with alien biology. A study arm of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Research Council (NRC), has pulled together a task group of specialists to tackle the issue of alternative life forms -- a.k.a. "weird life". To get things rolling, a workshop on the prospects for finding life on other worlds is being held here May 10-11. The meeting is a joint activity of the NRC’s Space Studies Board's Task...