Manipulating Ecosystems of Planets or Celestial Bodies

Introduction

One of the key components of post-Earth survival for humans is transforming another planet or celestial body to be fit for human habitation through supporting human life. The transformation of another planet is commonly referred to as terraforming, which is a term that refers to human colonization of space. Terraforming the planet is associated with some advantages in addition to the potential to support human life/habitation such as contain biosphere and space station. Therefore, terraforming planets or celestial bodies is an attractive proposition since it entails developing a new Earth-like home for humanity. Despite the recognition of terraforming planets or celestial bodies to support human life and habitation, there are questions on which planets or celestial bodies should be transformed or left alone. The feasibility of terraforming planets or celestial bodies has remained a major issue in the scientific field. This paper seeks to determine whether planets or celestial bodies can be terraformed to support human life and human habitation.
Background of the Issue
Since humanity gazed at the stars, there have been numerous questions on whether humans are alone and whether life exists elsewhere in the universe (Gurnett, 2009). The issue has contributed to numerous studies in the field of science that attempt to examine the possibility of existence of life elsewhere in the universe. Most of the studies have concluded that life, including intelligent life, should exist across the universe given the huge number of stars like the 300 billion in our galaxy alone as well as the probable existence of planetary systems that are similar to the Earth. However, other studies indicate that the conditions for human life are specialized on the Earth, which makes it the only planet system that supports human life. While the possibility of the existence of life in planets Mars and Venus has been examined, extraterrestrial life is yet to be found.
The discovery of life elsewhere in the planets or celestial bodies would be one of the most important scientific discovery in the history of mankind. Terraforming planets or celestial bodies is considered as an attractive proposition that could help in the discovery of life elsewhere, even in the simplest microbial form. Schwartz (2013) defines terraforming as a process of planetary engineering through which a planet’s environment is manipulated in order to generate an Earth-like ecosystem that support human life and habitation. The idea of terraforming has in turn contributed to the expansion of terrestrial imagination, which is also influenced by the growing knowledge of space (Peters, 2016). As terrestrial imagination and the idea of terraforming planets continues to expand, its important to determine the feasibility of transforming planets or celestial bodies to support human life. The determination of the feasibility of terraforming will also help in identifying which planets or celestial bodies can be manipulated to create Earth-like ecosystems.
Methods and Materials
The idea of terraforming planets or celestial bodies to support human life and habitation has been the subject of numerous studies in the field of science in the recent past. These studies have been carried out to examine several issues relating to the topic including planetary biology. Todd (2014) contends that planetary biology comprises four major components i.e. the search for life, planetary protection, ecopoiesis and terraforming, and human life support. The studies have also explored the necessary conditions to create an Earth-like ecosystem in another planet or celestial body. This process is geared towards determining the feasibility of terraforming and what planets or celestial bodies could be suitable for the transformation. One of the most important conditions is atmospheric constituents the survival for animals, plants, and humans.
In light of the search for suitable atmospheric constituents as the basis for terraforming planets or celestial bodies, Fujiwara & Doi (2016) conducted a study to examine biochemical preparation of cell extract to support cell-free protein system without physical disruption. The study was conducted on the premise that cell-free protein synthesis is a powerful technique for preparing toxic proteins, guiding protein evolution, and bottom-up synthetic biology. The method employed by Fujiwara & Doi (2016) in this study is preparation of the LoFT cell extract. In this case, LoFT stands for lysozyme treatment, osmotic shock, and freeze-thawing. The process of preparation of the LoFT cell extract entailed combining lysozyme treatment and freeze-thawing through the use of high-speed centrifuges as the only necessary machinery (Fujiwara & Doi, 2016).
Apart from analysis of the methods employed by Fujiwara & Doi (2016) in their study, the determination of whether planets or celestial bodies can be transformed to support human life in this paper involves reviewing existing literature on this topic. The publication by Warmflash (2014) provided a proposal of the best planet to target for human colony other than Mars. The publication also explored the requirements for terraforming an off-world colony as well as necessary conditions to support human life in such a colony. Wilkinson (2016) conducted a study to explore the search of another Earth in light of the recent history of the discovery of exoplanets. The publication was centered on demonstration of the identification of Earth-like planets beyond our Solar System and signs of life in these systems.
The review of existing literature, particularly the primary source, will help in providing a suitable foundation to answer the research question for this scientific research paper. Since the research question is exploratory in nature, a review of studies that have been conducted on the issue is a suitable framework for exploring and answering the issue. Therefore, the materials involved in this exploration/review are existing studies or literature on this research topic.
Results
The review of these publications or studies provided significant insights on the question, “Can planets, or celestial bodies, be terraformed to support human life?” Fujiwara & Doi (2016) found that preparation of LoFT cell extract prepares cell extracts for cell-free protein synthesis through the use of a biochemical method. The biochemical method disrupts cells through a combination of lysozyme treatment, osmotic shock, and freeze-thaw cycles. The subsequent cell-extracts from this preparation method demonstrates similar features/characteristics to those obtained via physical disruption. The two researchers were able to successfully synthesize active green fluorescent proteins in the midst of suitable chemicals to a concentration level of 20 ?M (0.5 mg/mL).
Warmflash (2014) found that terraforming a planet or celestial body like Mars would require thickening of the atmosphere with enriched nitrogen and oxygen accompanied by substantial increase in the planet’s average temperature. The commencement of the terraforming process would require seeding the world with certain microorganisms in order to increase the level of methane in the Martian air. The increase in the amount of methane during this process is attributable to the fact that it is a stronger greenhouse gas in comparison to carbon dioxide. The right mix of plants and well-selected microorganisms will be required to help generate the required nitrogen and oxygen. Consequently, Warmflash (2014) states that an aggressive Mars exploration program is suitable since it’s a geologically-similar planet to Earth.
Wilkinson (2016) found that one of the fastest growing areas in the field of science is the discovery of exoplanets through the use of new observing techniques that contribute to the discovery of extrasolar planets on a daily basis. Some of these new observing techniques include the radial velocity method, the transit method, and the microlensing method. Since its introduction in 1992 by Alexander Wolszczan and Dale Frail, the radial velocity method has become one of the most powerful tools for discovery of exoplanets because it avoids problem linked to direct observation (Wilkinson, 2016). This method examines the influence of planets on their parent stars instead of looking at planets directly. In this case, astronomers can only approximate a minimum mass for a planet, which is dependent on the unknown tilt of the orbital plane vis-à-vis the line of sight. The transit method is based on the notion that as a planet moves in front of its parent/host star, the star’s light darkens by a minimal amount. On the other hand, microlensing method discovers planets over a huge range of mass and those that are further from their stars.
Discussion
The answer to the question on whether planets or celestial bodies can be terraformed to support human life is demonstrated in existing literature. As shown in the results section, planets or celestial bodies can be terraformed to support human life and human habitation. However, the major issue on this topic is what is the most suitable method for the terraforming process of the planets or celestial bodies. As evident in the results of the review, there are several techniques that can be employed to terraform planets or celestial bodies to support human life. In light of the identified method, the use of biochemical method as suggested by Fujiwara & Doi (2016) could be the most suitable because it can be carried out without physical disruption.
One of the most important aspects in terraforming planets or celestial bodies to support human life is ensuring that the process is carried out without physical disruption. Physical disruption could endanger the existence of any form of life in the planets, which implies the need for pre-caution during the process. In this regard, biochemical preparation of cell extract without physical disruption is a probable powerful tool for terraforming planets or celestial bodies to support human life. The biochemical method for cell extraction incorporates biological aspects of the process unlike the other methods that are seemingly more geological. The consideration of biological aspects during this process particularly cell-free protein synthesis is crucial because biology is the premise for supporting human life and habitation in the planet.
Even though the preparation of LoFT cell extract generates cell extracts with similar features to those derived by physical disruption, the biochemical method by Fujiwara & Doi (2016) entails synthesis of active green fluorescent proteins. As a result, the cell extracts derived from this biochemical method are capable of efficient cell-free protein synthesis. Given that it’s a scalable and straight forward method, the biochemical technique can be utilized as a suitable alternative to the existing physical disruption techniques.
Therefore, the exploration of planets or celestial bodies on whether they can support human life should entail examining cell-free protein synthesis of microorganisms in these planets or celestial bodies. As previously indicated, some of the atmospheric constituents that are necessary to support human life and human habitation in planets or celestial bodies include constituents that support the survival of bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. In this case, the exploration programs for examining planets or celestial bodies that can support human life would require the use biochemical methods for cell-free protein synthesis. This would be suitable for examining the survival of atmospheric constituents in the planets or celestial bodies because cell-free protein synthesis does not rely on living cells. As demonstrated by Fujiwara & Doi (2016), cell-free protein synthesis using biochemical technique is applicable to the various methods of exploring planets or celestial bodies that can support human life because it enables protein expression under artificial conditions.
Terraforming planets or celestial bodies to support human life is primarily a life science research or procedure that requires a technique that supports life science research. Biochemical preparation of cell extract is ideal for this process because it’s based on life science processes that in turn enhances life science research. From the experiment conducted by Fujiwara & Doi (2016), this biochemical method for cell-free protein synthesis does not the use of expensive equipment that is commonly associated with physical disruption methods.
While Fujiwara & Doi (2016) provide a suitable alternative to physical disruption methods of cell-free protein synthesis, it is relatively difficult to establish how this biochemical method can be effectively utilized in terraforming planets or celestial bodies. The application of this method in terraforming planets or celestial bodies to support human life is relatively difficult to establish since it primarily focuses on cell extract. The use of this biochemical method in detecting signs of life in planets or celestial bodies as well as atmospheric constituents that support human life is seemingly difficult. Nonetheless, its provides a suitable foundation or technique for exploration conditions that could support human life in planets or celestial bodies.
Conclusion
Terraforming planets or celestial bodies is considered as an important element towards post-Earth survival of humans. This issue has attracted considerable attention in the field of science as efforts are made to help discover signs of life in planets or celestial bodies, particularly Mars and Venus. As evident in this analysis, it is possible to terraform planets or celestial bodies to support human life or habitation. However, the identification of the most suitable approach for this process has become a major challenge. While there are various approaches that can be utilized to achieve this, biochemical methods without physical disruption are seemingly the most powerful techniques for life science research and exploration.
References
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Warmflash, David. “Forget Mars. Here's Where We Should Build Our First Off-World Colonies.” The Crux, 8 Sept. 2014, blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/2014/09/08/where-build-off-world-colonies/#.WcgEOMiGPIU. Accessed 22 Sept. 2017.
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