Watched a great show on the history channel (i think) last night about how and what it would take humankind to search for a new planet to live on before our sun dies.

It covered everything from the type of fuel we would need,the craft we would need, sexual reproduction in zero gravity etc etc etc.......................

There was talk of "generational ships", "hibernation chambers" and even "genetic modification to the human genome".

It was reckoned that all it would take is 50 breeding couples on a "generational ships" to make 200 yr journey to Alpha Centuri (assuming a habital planet was found in the vacinity).

ALL science fiction AS YET....................................but who knows.

Just MAYBE.

We have about 5 Billion yrs to perfect all of the above technologies.

We have about 5 Billion yrs to perfect all of the above technologies.

What about an asteroid impact, like Apophis, if we knew we had say 9 years to go before Armageddon? I know right now all we can hope for is a decent nuclear strike on the object, but I'm getting flashbacks of 1970's science fiction stories about millions of humans relocating half way across the Solar System. Could it be done for real? I think not.

Seanie.

I agrre Seanie on the subject of generational ships. the amount of provisions would make it impossible - only way would be a self-contained farm :? .....besides any reasonable journey would mean those arriving would probably have forgotten why they went there in the first place.

there are a good series of books ( IMO) called th saga of the 7 suns by A dude called Anderson (responsible for some of the not so good dune books also, and some xfiles novels), and it is based on a human culture that, thousands of years ago sent 7 generational ships out into the great beyond. one of the ships finds an alien race that helps them with FTL travel and they then discover what has become of the other ships. they are still human, but are so removed from the humans of earth and consider them almost a different species. Causes lots of conflict. might be a nice read for anyone and give you some food for thought. written in a strange style though, each chapter is only about 3-10 pages longa and each book can have up to a hundred chapters!

but I'm getting flashbacks of 1970's science fiction stories about millions of humans relocating half way across the Solar System.

Ahhhhhhhhhh but that would not be the case. All it would take mankind to reach our nearest solar system is 50 men and 50 women. Scientists have worked out thats how many breeding couples would be needed on the journey to reproduce enough generations of offspribng to get there....without any inbreeding happening.

Thats the easy part...........................

Self sustaining farming onboard is also a piece of cake..............if you are a vegetarian.

Technologies to create gravity onboard any ship exists and is being tested.

The hard part.....................is......................JUST THE REST OF IT.

Ahhhhhhhhhh but that would not be the case. All it would take mankind to reach our nearest solar system is 50 men and 50 women. Scientists have worked out thats how many breeding couples would be needed on the journey to reproduce enough generations of offspribng to get there....without any inbreeding happening

And if there's a disease or plague?
Might just happen on a voyage taking thousands of years.