Thought this would be an interesting topic to dwell on now. Especially since it has long been talked about it but only nowadays certain individuals truly want to do for Mars (and at the cost of billions of dollars).
I remember the first time I personally heard of the idea, when seeing the film 'Star Trek the Wrath of Khan' in 1982. I was quite young and impressionable (I was, after all, a 15-year-old science fiction geek at the time). After seeing it once, I had to see it over again (and again!), even though the film overall was critically panned. I'm not even sure if the film was considered successful at the Box Office. I didn't care.
I rushed to get a copy of the accompanying novelization of the film by Vonda N. McIntyre from my public library and read that over and over again. This business of transforming a cold, uninhabitable planet into a habitable one (instantaneously) has always intrigued me, but tended to get lost in the mix of all the other things that intrude in my life. I then forgot about it.
Recently, though, with all the hype about water on Mars (and my starting this blog), the terraforming idea (on Mars) came roaring back. While doing some online research at the library I work at I read this article 'Can Mars Be Terraformed,' and I instantly remembered the Star Trek film (indeed, the article mentions Star Trek). What a flash from my past, I thought. Interestingly (here's the big point the blog post, just wait for it), the article provided a few examples of how the terraforming idea was immersed in our culture (even harkening back to the days of Percival Lowel when he said that Mars was lined with water canals, and you know...).
But I thought to myself, why stop there? Why not write about how terraforming of Mars has been depicted in film and books since Mr. Lowell made his famous and wild claims (all the way through till now)? Well then, I ask myself now, why don't I do it?
Ahhh, but I'd rather just read about it...I'm sorry, but the topic in the end is not interesting enough at my tender age (52) to devote the amount of time needed to make it "publishable." I can't even say "well, let me try it, and if it fails my readers will forgive me!"
I'm not sure life works like that. Not even sure what the hell I'm doing with this blog right now. So, sadly, I'm not gonna' do it ("at this juncture," to quote George H.W. Bush). Actually, I'd rather uses this blog to write about my memories of seeing the classic 1964 Sci-Fi film 'Robinson Crusoe On Mars' as a kid, such a cool film that it still is. That, too, I saw multiple times over the years. It, too, had wild, imaginative ideas about the planet Mars. I also think it is a better idea to write about for the development of this blog, and for the long term. So that's what I'll write about for the next blog post.
See you later for now, folks!
I remember the first time I personally heard of the idea, when seeing the film 'Star Trek the Wrath of Khan' in 1982. I was quite young and impressionable (I was, after all, a 15-year-old science fiction geek at the time). After seeing it once, I had to see it over again (and again!), even though the film overall was critically panned. I'm not even sure if the film was considered successful at the Box Office. I didn't care.
I rushed to get a copy of the accompanying novelization of the film by Vonda N. McIntyre from my public library and read that over and over again. This business of transforming a cold, uninhabitable planet into a habitable one (instantaneously) has always intrigued me, but tended to get lost in the mix of all the other things that intrude in my life. I then forgot about it.
Recently, though, with all the hype about water on Mars (and my starting this blog), the terraforming idea (on Mars) came roaring back. While doing some online research at the library I work at I read this article 'Can Mars Be Terraformed,' and I instantly remembered the Star Trek film (indeed, the article mentions Star Trek). What a flash from my past, I thought. Interestingly (here's the big point the blog post, just wait for it), the article provided a few examples of how the terraforming idea was immersed in our culture (even harkening back to the days of Percival Lowel when he said that Mars was lined with water canals, and you know...).
But I thought to myself, why stop there? Why not write about how terraforming of Mars has been depicted in film and books since Mr. Lowell made his famous and wild claims (all the way through till now)? Well then, I ask myself now, why don't I do it?
Ahhh, but I'd rather just read about it...I'm sorry, but the topic in the end is not interesting enough at my tender age (52) to devote the amount of time needed to make it "publishable." I can't even say "well, let me try it, and if it fails my readers will forgive me!"
I'm not sure life works like that. Not even sure what the hell I'm doing with this blog right now. So, sadly, I'm not gonna' do it ("at this juncture," to quote George H.W. Bush). Actually, I'd rather uses this blog to write about my memories of seeing the classic 1964 Sci-Fi film 'Robinson Crusoe On Mars' as a kid, such a cool film that it still is. That, too, I saw multiple times over the years. It, too, had wild, imaginative ideas about the planet Mars. I also think it is a better idea to write about for the development of this blog, and for the long term. So that's what I'll write about for the next blog post.
See you later for now, folks!
Comments
Post a Comment