Panspermia - seeding the universe
A weird idea I'll admit but I think it would be cool if humanity developed a sort of interstellar seed and made earth into some sort of giant dandelion ball shedding seeds on the cosmic winds.
But what would these seeds look like? What type of life would they contain? What design features would be necessary for the successful fertilisation of other primed but lifeless earthlike planets? What sort of propulsion system should it operate or would it need one? What hurdles would the seed face on its perilous journey to begin evolution on other worlds?
My suggestions; i would use extremophiles- specifically a methanogen (which consumes Co2 and forms methane) because extremophiles can survive incredibly extreme conditions, are relatively radiation resistant and form dormant spores that can stay viable for 100s of thousands of years.
The bubble seed would be filled with dry ice, regular ice and extremophiles. When it enters a solar system and the amount of solar radiation increases, the heat is captured in the capsule and sublimes the ice into gas and reg ice into water. The extremophiles activate and metabolize the co2 into methane which is then siphoned and ignited to cause thrust in a methane engine.
The methane engine would be used to navigate in solar systems and also to power a slower descent through a suitably dense planetary atmosphere. It could also be used to power rotation of the seed forming a dynamo which generates a magnetic field around the capsule reducing the effects of solar radiation on the content. The seed may also be helicopter shaped so as to have a controlled decent in a spin through air.
When the spinning seed hits a hard surface it will open and the centrifugal force will be used to throw the extremophile colonies outwards from the seed onto the planets surface to maximise the likelihood that they will land somewhere suitable.
But what would these seeds look like? What type of life would they contain? What design features would be necessary for the successful fertilisation of other primed but lifeless earthlike planets? What sort of propulsion system should it operate or would it need one? What hurdles would the seed face on its perilous journey to begin evolution on other worlds?
My suggestions; i would use extremophiles- specifically a methanogen (which consumes Co2 and forms methane) because extremophiles can survive incredibly extreme conditions, are relatively radiation resistant and form dormant spores that can stay viable for 100s of thousands of years.
The bubble seed would be filled with dry ice, regular ice and extremophiles. When it enters a solar system and the amount of solar radiation increases, the heat is captured in the capsule and sublimes the ice into gas and reg ice into water. The extremophiles activate and metabolize the co2 into methane which is then siphoned and ignited to cause thrust in a methane engine.
The methane engine would be used to navigate in solar systems and also to power a slower descent through a suitably dense planetary atmosphere. It could also be used to power rotation of the seed forming a dynamo which generates a magnetic field around the capsule reducing the effects of solar radiation on the content. The seed may also be helicopter shaped so as to have a controlled decent in a spin through air.
When the spinning seed hits a hard surface it will open and the centrifugal force will be used to throw the extremophile colonies outwards from the seed onto the planets surface to maximise the likelihood that they will land somewhere suitable.
Comments (4)
Now sending robot probes out to observe, catalogue, and preserve other life out there, and to husband the life cycles of the stars themselves to preserve our and their lives, that is a worthwhile endeavor.
Cosmic dandelion pollen would cause cosmic allergies.
However, it should be realised that Hoyle never considered the possibility that the 'cosmic spores' would be sent by humans. He had the view that the cosmos was full of proto-organic matter, which interacted wherever it found suitable environments in which to thrive. He thinks that viruses might originate from interstellar proto-organic material.
On a slightly related note, you ought to read up on Uri Milner's breakthrough starshot. 'The Breakthrough Starshot program aims to demonstrate a proof-of-concept for ultra-fast, light-driven nano-spacecraft, and lay the foundations for a first launch to Alpha Centauri within the next generation. Secondary goals are Solar System exploration and detection of Earth-crossing asteroids. The spacecraft would make a flyby of, and, possibly photograph any Earth-like worlds that might exist in the system' ~ Wikipedia. These are said to be able to attain velocities of 100 million kph meaning they could reach Alpha Proxima in (only) 20 years (although you then have to allow another 4 years for any signal to get back).
As for deliberately transmitting life - can't see it. I don't think we'll ever see interstellar travel in a physical sense.
The last thing that humans ought to be thinking of doing is spreading "humanity" into the universe...because that would be like purposefully "spreading" an infection.
First , let's get out shit in order...IF WE ARE ABLE.
Then we should think about propagating.