Hot Shit! It's the future I've been waiting for!

[East Coast Hustle]

http://io9.com/5963263/how-nasa-will-build-its-very-first-warp-drive#pq=8QXedT

Alpha Centauri in 2 weeks. 

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

"However, space-time is really stiff, so to create the expansion and contraction effect in a useful manner in order for us to reach interstellar destinations in reasonable time periods would require a lot of energy."

And indeed, early assessments published in the ensuing scientific literature suggested horrific amounts of energy — basically equal to the mass-energy of the planet Jupiter (what is 1.9 × 1027 kilograms or 317 Earth masses). As a result, the idea was brushed aside as being far too impractical. Even though nature allowed for a warp drive, it looked like we would never be able to build one ourselves.

"However," said White, "based on the analysis I did the last 18 months, there may be hope." The key, says White, may be in altering the geometry of the warp drive itself.

   

[Left]

 YESSS!
Now if only our species can keep from killing ourselves before we colonize the solar system, we are golden!

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

YESSS!
Now if only our species can keep from killing ourselves before we colonize the solar system, we are golden!

It would probably be better for the solar system if we DID kill ourselves before we get there.

[Left]

YESSS!
Now if only our species can keep from killing ourselves before we colonize the solar system, we are golden!

It would probably be better for the solar system if we DID kill ourselves before we get there.

Well, the thing is though?  When we humans live in extreme environments we tend to become REAL co-operative, real fast.  For survival reasons.   Not always, social science is generally fuzzy like that.  But generally speaking.
If you look at Iceland, Sweden, Finland? You'll note some really prosocial , co-operative cultures, right?  Netherlands too-under sea level on the coast can be defined as a harsh environment.

An extraplanetary society would have to be prosocial.  We'd have to grow the fuck up.

[The Johnny]

http://io9.com/5963263/how-nasa-will-build-its-very-first-warp-drive#pq=8QXedT

Alpha Centauri in 2 weeks. 

The prospect of travelling to Alpha Centauri, fighting back mindworms, fungi and other factions doesn't sound too appealing to me.

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

YESSS!
Now if only our species can keep from killing ourselves before we colonize the solar system, we are golden!

It would probably be better for the solar system if we DID kill ourselves before we get there.

Hey, if we can avoid fucking over Europa and Titan I don't think the rest of the planets give a fuck.

[Left]

YESSS!
Now if only our species can keep from killing ourselves before we colonize the solar system, we are golden!

It would probably be better for the solar system if we DID kill ourselves before we get there.

Hey, if we can avoid fucking over Europa and Titan I don't think the rest of the planets give a fuck.

Yeah, I think what bacteria are left on Mars wouldn't mind us moving in.  We might end up on the menu of Martian bacteria, but there's no telling until we go.

Since Venus basically has battery-acid for an atmosphere, we'd have to extensively tinker with the atmosphere before we could do anything with it.
...I'd like to move the asteroids closer in and make habitats.  I'd like to make spaceships on the moon-lots of useable metallic ore, lots of sunlight to harness, low escape velocity costs.

I want us to not all be in one gravity well. 

[East Coast Hustle]

I'm not sure what colonizing the solar system has to do with BUILDING A GODDAMNED WARP DRIVE THAT CAN GET US TO DISTANT STARS IN A MATTER OF MONTHS.

Any asshole can go colonize Mars or mine iridium on Ceres.

[Left]

I'm not sure what colonizing the solar system has to do with BUILDING A GODDAMNED WARP DRIVE THAT CAN GET US TO DISTANT STARS IN A MATTER OF MONTHS.

Any asshole can go colonize Mars or mine iridium on Ceres.

Not so far.  Radiation.
Though robots could easily do it for us, if we put some effort into making them.
I dunno.
Where will we go when we can go anywhere?

[Don Coyote]

I'm not sure what colonizing the solar system has to do with BUILDING A GODDAMNED WARP DRIVE THAT CAN GET US TO DISTANT STARS IN A MATTER OF MONTHS.

Any asshole can go colonize Mars or mine iridium on Ceres.

Not so far.  Radiation.
Though robots could easily do it for us, if we put some effort into making them.
I dunno.
Where will we go when we can go anywhere?

EASY ANSWER!!

EVERYFUCKINGWHERE!!!!!!!

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What is up with this board and shitting itself over speculative technology?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

It's  like a dog that gets all fucking excited every time the fridge opens.

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

It's  like a dog that gets all fucking excited every time the fridge opens.

Well, to be fair, I get excited every time the fridge opens, too . . . :P

It's fun to think of the possibilities. Opens up the imagination and whatnot. Gives people boners.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Yeah OK. Or else it's that Facebook is contagious. Because it seems like for years there almost never used to be these "OMG SPECULATIVE SCIENCE!!!" threads, and now it's kind of like the board has turned into a subscription to New Scientist and nobody seems to understand anymore that "science that might be a thing" is not on the same level as "science that is a thing".

I feel like I need to buy the board a subscription to Skeptic just counteract it a little, before you fuckers are believing that every funded research proposal is OMG A NEW FUTURE.