Welcome to the Inter-Galactic Colonisation Academy – Terraforming 101. 1
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You’ve all completed the units in Introductory Colonisation, Light Speed Propulsion, and Generation Ships. If you haven’t already completed the Planetary Sciences unit, you’ll need to take a supplementary course in Biospherics to gain credit for this unit. Enough of the formalities; let’s begin. 3
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The objective of terraforming is to achieve maximum habitability with minimum investment of energy . Do any of you know how much it costs to send a generation ship from just one spiral arm to another? Believe me, it takes more than you could earn from a lifetime ownership of several asteroid belts! Minimum energy is the key; it makes the whole process viable. 5
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So, how do we do it? Simple! Pick the right planet. A planet with life. Specifically: carbon-based life with a DNA encoded genome. 7
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With modern telescopes, finding a suitable planet is straightforward within a galaxy, although we require advanced techniques to detect good destinations in neighbouring galaxies. Once we find the right target, we prepare and launch a generation ship to the planet. Then, while it’s in transit, we start the terraforming process. 9
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And how exactly do we terraform it? We send information , my friends. Information. And what is the most basic form of information? Electromagnetic radiation! 11
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So, we send all this information to these DNA based life forms, and what do they do with it? I hear you ask. Wrong question. What does it do with them?! It targets their DNA, causing mutations of our design. 13
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We pick simple life forms since sentient creatures might interfere with the process, but given the right pre-conditions, this technique has never failed. Not once, out of the billion worlds colonised to date. 15
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Take this planet for example: the third planet from a G-type, yellow star, it has an active biosphere and good prospects to be habitable for at least another seven or eight galactic rotations. In this reconstruction, you see that the planet has no advanced sentient life forms or technologies. Since the atmosphere and conditions are well-enough suited to our colonists, we need only ensure that the biosphere is suitably accommodating on their arrival. Therefore, we start sending packets of information. 17
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We encode the packets into gamma rays which, as you can see in this replay, impact the atmosphere and cause irradiation of the life forms below. The precisely selected energy frequencies cause exactly two mutations to the target species: the development of ‘language’ and of ‘technology’. You will note that we do not impart the full suite of natural mental development as this would impair the future terraforming efforts. Instead, we ensure that every technological innovation the target species develops can be shared with every other member of their species. 19
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Take a look at the planet’s fauna. Who wants to suggest a suitable candidate species? 21
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No. Even though they make up most of the biomass, arthropods lack the intellectual faculties we need. 23
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Interesting choice – these tentacled molluscs have intellectual potential and manipulative dexterity, but they would not survive the environmental modifications we want to induce. 25
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You with the exoskeleton…Almost. That’s a very large mammal species with warm blood and a dextrous proboscis. However, they have a narrow dietary range, we require omnivores. 27
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No one suggested this jungle-dwelling primate species. There is only a small population, but they have all the required characteristics – adaptability, cranial capacity, manual dexterity. Endowed with vocal range and mental enhancement the process begins. With subsequent adjustment using further rays, you can see that they rapidly rose to dominate their planet. The development processes are unnaturally fast without the development of wisdom that normally accompanies intelligence. Things take a little while at first, but watch now as the extinction rate picks up. First, the larger, slower-breeding species die off, then the eco-system goes out of balance. 29
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By now, the generation ship has already arrived there, but from here we can only see it as it was about one hundred stellar orbits before the vessel arrived. The people of this world have developed industry and advanced technology, without the restraint normally accompanying these capabilities. 31
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The program is working perfectly and you can rest assured that by the time the generation ship arrived they found the planet in perfect condition for colonisation…sterile. 33
Silver trophy winner
Honorable winner
Bronze trophy winner
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