[Space]: Habitability modifiers for tidelocked and resonant worlds

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by pnewman

...Building some Radiation Tolerance into your inhabitants would probably be cheaper and easier.

Again, I'm not so sure about the ease of such complex genetic engineering. Radiation is a constant threat to all of us on earth. I don't think we could do that much more than nature for a very very long time.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Brett

I was thinking of living in Stanfords, Bernals, and O'Neills rather than living in the vacuum of Space. Not much gengineering of mankind ought to be necessary, unless there is something I'm overlooking.

Or something we are all overlooking because we haven't exactly made any yet. I'm hopeful too though.

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by pnewman

Radiation?

Enough mass to stop the radiation will be very heavy, enough mass to stop the radiation during solar storms will be even heavier. This will add considerably to your engineering costs. Building some Radiation Tolerance into your inhabitants would probably be cheaper and easier.

Fair point. And for only double the cost you can do both.

By the way, did you see that there are two new drugs for treating radiation sickness just coming out of animal trials? They work on different principles and may offer synergies.

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Or something we are all overlooking because we haven't exactly made any yet.

Exactly so.

[pnewman]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Again, I'm not so sure about the ease of such complex genetic engineering. Radiation is a constant threat to all of us on earth. I don't think we could do that much more than nature for a very very long time.

But nature includes lots of things that are much more radiation tolerant than humans (as well as some that are less so). It seems as if some transgenic modifications would probably help your space dwellers quite a bit.

GURPS Biotech calls Radiation Tolerance 2 a TL 9 species modification, Radiation Tolerance 5 a TL 10 spec mod, Radiation Tolerance 10 a TL 10/11 spec mod, and Radiation Tolerance 20 a TL 11/12 spec mod. [GURPS Biotech p50].

Since the habitats themselves sound like TL9 than if you've got them, then barring a non standard tech development, you should have the genetic engineering too. With Radiation Tolerance 2 you need only half as much shielding for your space colony. Half as thick will be much lighter (your mass savings will depend on the size and shape of your habitat). Regeneration (heals radiation) would also help.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by pnewman

But nature includes lots of things that are much more radiation tolerant than humans (as well as some that are less so). It seems as if some transgenic modifications would probably help your space dwellers quite a bit.

GURPS Biotech calls Radiation Tolerance 2 a TL 9 species modification...

I'm talking more about reality rather than what may be gurps' excessive optimism.
Those creatures more resistant to radiation also have a much shorter lifespan.
There's almost certainly a reason why grass can take a lot of radiation, but trees drop dead more easily that humans.

[nick012000]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

I'm talking more about reality rather than what may be gurps' excessive optimism.
Those creatures more resistant to radiation also have a much shorter lifespan.
There's almost certainly a reason why grass can take a lot of radiation, but trees drop dead more easily that humans.

*points at Deinococcus Radiodurans*

Once we start genetically engineering humans, I'd imagine that there'd be research into splicing genes from that particular bacteria into humans. They'd also have a beneficial side effect of improving dessiccation resistance, as well.

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by nick012000

Once we start genetically engineering humans, I'd imagine that there'd be research into splicing genes from that particular bacteria into humans.

And the research might lead absolutely nowhere. Genes code proteins, not abstract qualities, and there might be no single protein or combination of proteins in Deinococcus radiodurans that would confer the least radiation resistance on a vertebrate.

But I have a feeling that this thread is drifting to windward a bit more rapidly than I'd prefer. Could we address the issue of a Habitability rating modifier for tide-locked and resonant worlds, in quantitative detail, before we wander too much further off topic?