Planetary Colonization

We are still far from the time when humans will populate the galaxy, but this is a topic that cannot be thought about too soon.


Rocket propulsion based on chemical combustion has reached its efficiency limits. There are other propulsion methods, but they are not yet at a sufficient level of development. A breakthrough is expected in the coming decades in nuclear and ion propulsion, but on a cosmic scale, these will also only allow for interstellar travel over extremely long periods.


Unfortunately, wormholes and space-warping solutions remain in the realm of fiction, and it is quite possible that such technologies will never be available. The speed of light is an unavoidable limit. I understand that this speed limit does not apply to the expansion of space, but what good is expanding space if we want to get closer to a distant object?


Of course, it is not necessarily a bad thing that we are limited by the speed of light—or, more precisely, by the speed of electromagnetic propagation. The real issue is that we are outdated for conquering this vast universe. There is no point in exposing biological organisms to the hardships of space travel.


Instead, robots should go first, and once they autonomously make a new world comfortable for our form of life, it might make sense to send humans. Hibernation might be a viable option, and if we rotate the spacecraft, we can even simulate Earth’s gravity. The problem of cosmic radiation remains, but we will likely find a way to handle that too. When put this way, populating the galaxy with humans doesn’t seem entirely impossible. However, even in this scenario, robots would have to scout and prepare new planets and moons for habitation.


If we ever manage to develop an antimatter engine that allows us to reach a few percent of the speed of light, this possibility could become quite realistic. Antimatter is not easy to obtain and even harder to store, but these are merely technological challenges—not insurmountable barriers imposed by the laws of physics.


Let's do the math. If we manage to double the number of newly colonized planets every 500 years, then in the time that has passed since the first civilizations emerged, we could be present on 32,000 new planets.


How long is 500 years? Just look at the history of the North American continent. And they didn’t even have robots to help them.


What do you think about this?

Would it be better to stay on Earth and not risk destroying the entire galaxy?

Would you be among the first to set out for a new world?

What kind of society and economy should be established during such a colonization?

Should we focus on building virtual worlds instead—ones we wouldn’t have to travel for centuries to reach?

Could it be that we are already living in such a virtual world?

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