What do you think life on Mars will be like for the first intrepid pioneers? In this lecture we will critically explore humanity’s dreams and aspirations. Why do we want to colonize the solar system? What kind of world, designed entirely by humans, will we build? What sort of challenges will we face, technologically, socially, and psychologically? Will we be able to prevent a repetition of our mistakes here on Earth? And is there any urgency: “If we want to survive as a species –and want to save human civilization- do we HAVE to colonize space”?
WiegerWamelink, exobiologist at Wageningen University, has kindly allowed us to exhibit his research on cultivating plants for sustenance on Mars. The soil, the temperature, the light, the atmosphere, the radiation, the lack of liquid water, everything is different on the red planet. After opening the exhibit, Wieger will give a lecture on his research and its context. How do we build a livableecosystem in space? And where? After his lecture, Wieger will be joined by a panel of students to discuss humanity’s drive to colonize space, a dream that may very well come true within their lifetime.