Though I believe it is possible that the greenhouse effect could result in a
much more drastic change in temperature than currently projected & accepted
(such as some unconsidered significant gain in positive feedback as
thresholds are crossed) I'd expect any real opportunities put into effect
methods being discussed are far off - tending to be more in line with the
occurrence of the eventual drastic increase of solar flux reaching our
planet.

Rather than move the earth (with all the risks that entail) I'd look into
moving the species.

While I am skeptical of "interstellar travel" anytime soon, interplanetary
travel is already within our grasp...

So it would seem far reasonable to do it in steps:

First, make mars habitable using techniques similar to those discussed in
the article that started this thread: change comet orbits, but in this case
to impact mars so as to build oceans and increase mass (to enhance the
ability of the planet to better hold onto an atmosphere...).

In conjunction with this wee could seed mars with selected life forms to
help generate a more reasonable (for humans) atmosphere.

With the increase in solar flux the temperature of mars would also increase.

Perhaps the orbit of mars would be tweaked as discussed for earth - but
before significant habitation by humans.

etc.
Bruce.

-----Original Message-----
From: Roman Black [mailto:fastvid@EZY.NET.AU]
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2001 12:32 PM
To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: [OT]: NASA and comets agains

Roman Black wrote:

Well really, considering the current rate of
technological advancement and the renewed interest
in space travel I think we should be VERY capable of
interstellar travel within 100 or 200 years, so this
really is not a problem.

So in 20 years when the next genius discovers that
0.999 (repeating) is NOT equal to 1.0 and uses that
new math to develop the anitgravity/hyperlightspeed
drive we can have a good laugh about the dying Sun and
get ready to relocate.

More seriously, you say "the Earth will only be
habitable for the next billion years", really do you
think we WON'T have interstellar transport within
a billion years from now??
:o)
-Roman

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