Terraforming

The term "terraforming" was originally coined by author Jack Williamson in the early 1940's. Literally, the term means "Earth forming" or "Earth shaping". Terraforming refers to engineering any celestial body (planet, moon, asteroid, etc.) to resemble Earth, generally through the manipulation of temperature, atmosphere, topography, and ecology. "Planetary engineering" is another term that is frequently associated with, and substituted for, terraforming. However, technically speaking, planetary engineering is seen more broadly as the application of technology in altering the properties of a planet, while terraforming is a more specified process of planetary engineering which focuses on altering extraterrestrial terrain to be more like that on Earth.

With current technology and future technological promise, altering small portions of a planet's environment and sustaining them in a desired condition is plausible through the implementation of machinery, technology, and other commodities supplied from Earth. However, the ideal goal of terraforming would be to create an aerobic environment that is capable of sustaining plant and animal life naturally- removing, or at least diminishing, the need for the input of Earthly materials and constant monitoring. The first step to attain this end product involves the development of a stable, enduring ecosystem, a process known as ecopoiesis. Robert Haynes, who coined the term, states, "Ecopoiesis is now used in literature to describe the implantation of a pioneering, and hence microbial, ecosystem on a planet, either as an end itself, or as an initial stage in a more lengthy process of terraforming. Ecopoiesis is a more modest aim, with less of the speculative extravagance associated with terraforming." Ecopoiesis alone would not be sufficient in creating an environment in which humans or animals could survive outdoors however, which is why terraforming must be used in conjunction with the process of ecopoiesis in order to create a sustainable, Earth-like environment. In respect to the planet Mars- the focus of this website- there are five explicit steps that must be carried out before the processes of ecopoiesis, and consequently, terraforming can be attempted/completed. The steps are as follows:

There are a variety of proposed methods to attain these five necessary alterations. These are defined, discussed, compared, and contrasted in depth in the "Real World Application" and "Literary Portrayal" tabs.

Terraforming goes beyond the physical act of altering a planet. It allows us a certain amount of inquisition into the human psyche as well. Why do we have the desire to terraform?Ever since the beginning of time, humans have had an instinctive drive to conquer the unknown, and refashion it to fit our modes of thinking. We see this throughout all of history- the expansion of countries through the conquest and colonization of foreign populace is not a new concept to the human race. With the emergence of planetary colonization in the science fiction genre came a new form of an almost intergalactic imperialism. Humans could now impose our will across the universe. Narrowing the focus of this idea from populations, countries, and even planets, to environments, and we can see how terraforming embodies the human drive for conquest, expansion, and assimilation.

The process of terraforming is highly controversial andentails a vast number of political and ethical questions. Ethically, the question of if we even have the right to impose our will on another planet is central when thinking about terraforming. Furthermore, are we justified in attempting to make another planet more like our own, or should we instead take an approach that embraces the planet's own ecology/ natural environment? And if we plan on using terraforming to sustain human life on Mars, can we free ourselves from the harmful tendencies toward ecological destruction we have imposed on our own planet? Or will the terraforming of Mars ultimately lead to its degradation through human destruction as well?

Politically, if terraforming leads to planetary colonization on Mars, what form of government should exist? Who has the right to live on the planet? Should it eventually become independent of Earth?Furthermore, the cost of terraforming would be immense, and the payoff, if any, could take thousands of years. Who would fund this daring process? And is it worth the economic strain if there will be no short term payoff within our lifetime?

There's also the debate on resources and technology. While we currently don't have the advanced technologies imagined by some scientists for the completion of a terraforming project, some believe we should begin the project now and trust that these technologies will emerge with time. There are others, however, who believe we should wait until we definitely have the necessary technologies before embarking on this gargantuan undertaking.We will take a look at some of the opposing viewpoints of the moral, political, and technical debates on terraforming, in both literature and the real world, in the "Real World Application" and"Literary Portrayal"tabs.

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What is Terraforming? - Terraforming Mars - sites.google.com