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the possibility of sorne new type of
scurvy to arise over time in the
space colony." Mode ll also points
out that metabolic wastes from one
living species can be toxic to other
species, and even to itself if the con–
centration exceeds certa in limits.
Since the space colony will be essen–
tiaiJy a closed system. a biological
catastrophe could eventually de–
vclop. Also. within such a closed
sys tcm. corrosion could eventually
lead to a build-up of potentially
harmful trace elemen ts in the food
chain. Significantly. the Russians, in
a recent 180-day recycling-chamber
test, found that an unidentified
toxin built up in the a tmosphere
which stopped the growth of severa!
kinds ofplants.
There are a lso unexplored psy–
chological problems which could be
induced by long-term confinement
in the relatively cramped quarters of
future space colonies.
Cosmic Loneliness
Yet outer space continues to lure the
mind of man. In part, the interest in
space is a natural expression of our
curiosity and our longing to explo re.
a manifestation of the universal
restless componen! of the human
spirit.
But. cosmic loneliness is a lso an
important factor. For many people,
the rise of evolutionary materialism
and the decline of a belief in a per–
sonal benevolent God has left an
aching void that cannot be fulfilled
by modern human institutions. The
continuing sea rch for extra–
tcrres trial life (c.g.. the Viking mis–
sion to Ma rs). the patient scanning
of the heavens for sorne signa! from
a distant cosmic civilization. and the
intense. almost rcligious will to be–
lieve in UFOs (wi tness the success
of the movie
Close Encounters of the
Third Kind)
all auest to this sense of
cosmic loneliness.
The recent Voyager probes, now
on their way
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the planets Jupiter
and Saturn. a re ye t another ex–
ample of man's desire to make con–
tact with other intelligent beings.
Since the Voyager vehicles will
eventually Hy completely out of the
solar sys tem and make their way out
into the endless expanses of our gal–
axy, special recorded messages have
been placed on each spacecraft in
The
PLAIN TRUTH March 1978
SCIENTIFIC FANTASY? Torus-shaped space colony, more than a mi/e in diameter,
would s/owly rotate to provide artificial graVIty tor
some
10,000 inhabitants.
the hope that intelligent inhabitants
of outer space may even tually re–
ceive greetings from planet Earth.
The V:oyager spacecraft are "bottles
cast into the cosmic ocean." muses
Cornell University astronomer Carl
Sagan.
Hope for the Future
St ill another importan! factor in the
curren! interest in space shuttles.
space colonies. and space ex–
ploitation is the fundamental rejec–
tion of what is commonly called
" the limits of growth." The earth, of
course, is finite and there
are
defi–
nite limits on available energy, us–
able land. food production, and
natural resources. This fact was pe r–
haps best dramatized by the alarm–
ing computerized projections
published in thc 1972 book
The
Limits to Growth.
The conclusion of
the book was clear: Unless world
trends in popula tion growth and in–
dustrialization a re checked and pol–
lution severely curbed, civilization
faces catastrophic collapse within
100 years , and perhaps no more
than 50!
And superimposed on these fore–
boding possibilities is the ever
present potential of a nuclear war o r
sorne other man-made holocaust.
But s pace enthusiasts believe
there
is
hope for the future and that
a ll these dire predictions can be cir–
cumvented by rcaching out beyond
the earth and tapping the unlimited
treasure trove of materials and cn–
ergy that exists in outer space. "The
high frontier," says O'Neill. "means
growth without guilt . There really
are no limits."
" Instead of manufactur ing to de–
stroy mankind. man's ingenuity can
be expanded bcyond imagination in
the direction of space." asserts
California Governor Edmund G.
Brown, Jr. Calling it "one of the
great frontiers left to humanity,' '
Brown believes the quest of space
will help man better understand his
place in the universc.
Dr. Gerald Fcinberg, professor of
physics a t Columbia University.
goes even further. According to
Feinberg, space colonization is es–
sentía! for the survival of mankind .
"Once self-sustaining communities
in space are established," says Fein–
bcrg. " the human race will go on,
even if there is a disaster on earth.
an environmental catastrophe or a
nuclear holocaust, for instance." 1n
Feinberg's opinion , emigration
would make mankind much less
vulnerable to na tura l or man-in–
duced catastrophes. "Colonization
does not depend on technological
breakthroughs," adds Feinberg.
(Continued on page 43)
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