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Futurology

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Welcome to r/Futurology, a subreddit devoted to speculation about the future through discussions, images, videos, art, gifs, and tedtalks about technology, civilization, foresight, futurology, futurism, existential risk reduction, space colonization, A.I., the future of humanity, the Singularity, Transhumanism and accelerating change. The future is infinite.



If history studies our past and social sciences study our present, what is the study of our future?

The answer is, we have none.

There is a lens to view the past, a lens to study our present, but none to gaze forward into time. While the future may be ultimately unknowable, forecasting, a structure for understanding the future, has laws and methods. But instead of scientific predictions, we leave the future to our artists, to the dreams of Science Fiction, to our prophets, and theologians.

Today, Futurology exists. It has been accepted and merged with the social sciences. However, the term “Futurology", because of its multiplicity of meanings, has been replaced by “the study of the future (future studies)," a term implying the totality of prognostic theory and practice. The idea has been conceived, but the science is yet unborn. There are no professors, no universities, no students of the future, only those of the dead past.

Join us at r/futurology to see the world sub specie aeternitatis, from 'the perspective of the eternal', and outside of time.


An Introduction to the Community:


Reads:

The 1st Futurology Manifesto


The Father of Futurology


The Nature of the Future


H.G. Wells: "Professors of Foresight"


The r/Futurology Reading List


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top 200 commentsshow all 296

[–]flyinfart 69 points70 points ago

That would be absolutely fabulous. Wonder if I'll ever see it in my lifetime :\

[–]MLG_Wiggin 32 points33 points ago

Not on the budget we give NASA, that's for damn sure.

[–]TheWinterNights 42 points43 points ago

Why does it have to be a US thing?

The ISS isn't a US only thing either.

Call me a dreamer, but if we could stop to murder each other all over the place on the planet, we would have a ton of money for projects like this.

[–]stuffingisawesome 44 points45 points ago

As a Christian, I hate to say this. But religion is a huge part of the problem.

[–]Adamzxd 42 points43 points ago

As a muslim, I completely agree

[–]tokerdytoke 44 points45 points ago

As a human, I agree.

[–]Adamzxd 19 points20 points ago

Go team human!

[–]JasonWeb54 4 points5 points ago

As a lemon, I agree.

[–]JMEYER2090 1 point2 points ago

but... im just a gnome

[–]bstampl1 5 points6 points ago

As a dog, I enjoy the taste of my own poop.

[–]Arx0s 2 points3 points ago

As Fire Lord Satan, I agree.

[–]FireAndSunshine 3 points4 points ago

Religion is a justification, it's rarely the problem in large wars.

[–]stuffingisawesome 0 points1 point ago

Well, when it comes down to it, its about land and influence. When this land is needed for the expansion of a certain religious group or because another religious group is on their "holy land", it creates problems. But I guess people will find anything to justify rights to land.

[–]mojonojo 1 point2 points ago

It's the difference between Bush walking free vs. Being brought up on war crimes... Huge part of the problem if you can boil it down to there simply being masses of people that will believe shit their told (and want to believe) and not question it or fact check and even when presented with loads of facts opposing their beliefs, continue on with cognitive dissonance...

It's the fucking problem.

[–]Force_USN 8 points9 points ago

I agree with that. If countries actually worked together on projects like this instead of being busy never trusting each other.. we'd be launching colony ships before you know it!

We'd be known as "Terrans" thence forward.

[–]mitchsorenstein 6 points7 points ago

But then we'd have to fight the Zergs and the Protoss...

[–]Force_USN 1 point2 points ago

hahaha, aww shit. Space rednecks all the way man!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eflKzcEbLk

"You girls strapped in nice and tight now?" - "Tighter than your momma's ass!". heheh.

[–]mle86 5 points6 points ago

I agree. Imagine what we could do if we could use something like half of the military budget of all nations for space exploration, or even just science in general.

[–]toomuchLSD 5 points6 points ago

Forget half of every nations military budget, even just the US would be enough.

[–]Chronophilia 4 points5 points ago

But everyone would be better.

[–]toomuchLSD 2 points3 points ago

Yes, your definitely correct. I was merely eluding to how much more the US's military budget is in comparison to every other country combined.

[–]boonie_redditor 2 points3 points ago

Why does it have to be a public sector thing? Any number of reasons to build on the moon, not the least of which is privacy. Then again, hearing "Welcome to Microsoft Dome 1" over a PA system would get pretty old, fast.

[–]chrisbalderst0n 0 points1 point ago

If the human race collaborated rather than limit ourselves artificially (money), I imagine our technology could improve and be applied incredibly. Recourse-based economy is where it's at.

[–]flyinfart 13 points14 points ago

I am actually kind of liking the way space travel is turning. NASA is for extraterrestrial science. It's doing its job- figuring out what is out there. Private companies are the future of exploiting resources in space and of enabling people to travel there for recreational purposes.

[–]PondLife 7 points8 points ago

So no altruism/greater good etc? Just profit driven? I for one don't envisage a future where everything is about resource grabs, exploitation and personal material enrichment. I would like to think society and values can evolve along with technological and cultural advancements.

But I'm a bit of a dreamer.

[–]flyinfart 3 points4 points ago

That sounds like a beautiful world, but I can't personally see it. The money has to come from somewhere, and what better way than resource exploitation. Even space tourism is a good start, but it doesn't account for the non-renewable resources it takes to send those people up. the whole world is divided both culturally and economically- and the rich countries don't have what it takes to drag the poor countries along with them. If we do become a species capable of unified altruistic goals, it will be a subset race of humans and they will be forced to leave everybody else behind.

[–]PondLife 2 points3 points ago

Looking at current trends and behaviour your scenario seems the more probable outcome, unfortunately.

I prefer my pipe dream though.

I would love a "post scarcity society" a la The Culture in Iain. M. Banks' writing.

[–]TheSelfGoverned 0 points1 point ago

"post scarcity society"

This is not possible. The human desire for material wealth is endless. And there are 7 billion of us.

People are already buried in their own "stuff", and they only want more! This is from 1986 and is still very relevant today

[–]Chronophilia 1 point2 points ago

it will be a subset race of humans and they will be forced to leave everybody else behind.

I disagree. Once the altruistic people have proved they have what it takes, everyone will want to work with them. This is a high-risk endeavour; not just anyone can build a moon base.

[–]flyinfart 1 point2 points ago

Everyone who can see the potential profit, and the people who have the money to invest. But what about nations too poor to contribute, or religious sects that outright fight against the change? And there are tons of people who will be too worried about their own survival to be concerned with the technological advancements of another nation or another class of people that they don't feel they can associate themselves with.

I don't have exact numbers or real statistics, because they really don't exist. But you can extrapolate information from what we have now.

http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats

Here are some poverty statistics. Over 80% of the world lived on less than 10 dollars a day in 2005. How many of those people expect to make it to space, or for their grandchildren to? It won't be the poor and downtrodden who get to experience the bright new world of tomorrow, it will be the wealthy and lucky.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-intellectualism#section_5

It's Wikipedia, but well written. There is are cultures of anti intellectualism in many major nations globally. Book studies don't have observable value to people who have worked in physical labor their entire lives.. And others put those kinds of studies outside of their own reach, they will never let themselves achieve greatness.

Not everybody sees extraterrestrial habitats and mining to be the future, and some even fight against it. Others are too absorbed in the present to see the potential future. And there is very little we can do to change their minds... Most likely, they will never see the world from orbit, or look upon truly alien landscapes with their own eyes. And they will make that choice for themselves, or for their children or their children's children.

That doesn't mean we can't still keep pushing forward, just means that we will have to do it without them.

::edit:: messed up statistic

[–]aMillionLasers 3 points4 points ago

it's not only the NASA... maybe in a couple of decades China starts exploring space or, like, Singapore... idk

[–]PancakeMonkeypants 3 points4 points ago

Are you forgetting Russia..? They're the ones still dedicating real effort.

[–]BrownNote 4 points5 points ago

China's finally going to explore Singapore?

[–]bstampl1 61 points62 points ago

Probably not

[–]JakeCameraAction 40 points41 points ago

He could be 10.

[–]AsaWalden 88 points89 points ago

Probably not

[–]lemonpjb 6 points7 points ago

But humans will live until they're 200 now!

[–]lifeliverDTN 23 points24 points ago

still, probably not

[–]dopaminer14 40 points41 points ago

so you're saying there's a chance?

[–]aesamattki 29 points30 points ago

Probably not

[–]Twofoe 11 points12 points ago

b-but life extension...

[–]Archybaldie 8 points9 points ago

I've been looking for close to an hour with no luck, but there was a show on bbcfour a few years ago called "it's only a theory". On which someone came along with a theory about how the 1st 1000 year old human has probabaly already been born.

If you can find that show i would reccomend it! :D

(but it's resulted in me watching this http://www.ted.com/talks/aubrey_de_grey_says_we_can_avoid_aging.html lol)

[–]DrInMyMind 3 points4 points ago

We haven't even finished fucking up this planet yet, and already you're looking at the moon.

[–]estrangedpenguin 296 points297 points ago

Can you imagine if your girlfriend/wife broke up with you and said "I am going to live on the moon colony with Bob". That moon site alone every night would fuck your brain up thinking Bob is T-bagging earth through your ex.

[–]DonSlice 332 points333 points ago

Man, fuck moon Bob.

[–]RageGodReed 25 points26 points ago

Seriously, last time he took someones GF to the ISS and now we want to give him the moon?

[–]Fweeb 30 points31 points ago

I heard moon Bob sells poison milk to school children, and he killed jesus.

[–]ApertureJunkie 12 points13 points ago

I heard it was Tuscan Whole Milk.

[–]implicate 6 points7 points ago

1 Gallon, 128 fl oz.

[–]wootmonster 2 points3 points ago

Nah, it was that damn moon milk. Fuck moon Bob and his poisoned moon milk.

[–]A7XGlock 2 points3 points ago

Comes from those bug-cows like on futurama. Damn moon red necks.

[–]heroesandnightmares 0 points1 point ago

Buggalo.

[–]therealflinchy 1 point2 points ago

I heard he made the video that started all these riots

[–]kjbautis 5 points6 points ago

Hes literally Hitler

[–]giansolo 4 points5 points ago

Bob Hitler

[–]andreaserkul 8 points9 points ago

Moon Bob Hitler

[–]Something_Wicker 0 points1 point ago

Moon Bob is the Wandering Jew. He is also the progenitor of the vampire race.

[–]SaxyTimeReloaded 7 points8 points ago

Fucking moon Bob...

[–]PenguinSunday 4 points5 points ago

Exactly.

[–]pooticus 4 points5 points ago

[–]denizenKRIM 2 points3 points ago

moon bob

This should be reserved as the official lunar term for BJs.

[–]PondLife 0 points1 point ago

Or a Boy Scout thing - Bob-a-Job.

[–]CashMoneyChina 10 points11 points ago

You just took this to another level completely

[–]tomius 5 points6 points ago

It would also be strange and kinda cool to have a long distance relationship earth-moon. It would be lovely to see your SO house every night up in the sky, right?

But timezone could be a pain in the ass.

[–]Fopenplop 4 points5 points ago

You just wrote the beginning of an interesting SF short story.

[–]AvidOxid 102 points103 points ago

I, for one, hope this happens.

[–]970blue 51 points52 points ago

We should have all voted for Newt Gingrich. All we would've had to have done was put up with his horrible, dark, decrepit, immoral soul in the mean time, but we would have got a kick ass American Moon colony!

[–]eifersucht12a 33 points34 points ago

The Meatloaf classic "I Would Do Anything For a Moon Colony (But I Won't Do That)" comes to mind.

[–]Jigsus 24 points25 points ago

"Newt Gingrich" sounds like a Dr Seuss villain.

[–]socatevoli 0 points1 point ago

he looks like one too

[–]Fopenplop 5 points6 points ago

Maybe I'm a dummy for saying this, but if I knew nothing else about him, I would've voted for him just for that campaign promise.

[–]the_omega99 15 points16 points ago

The question is, would it be more beautiful to view the lights of the moon from Earth, or the lights of Earth from the moon?

[–]thatGman 11 points12 points ago

Seeing the Earth from the moon would put my jaw on the ground. But can you imagine living up there for a few years. After some time of seeing it every day I think people would start treating that scene the same way they do now living on earth looking at the moon.

[–]fishgats 7 points8 points ago

Not trying to be rude, but why would you want to live on the moon? It would be a really cool place to visit, no doubt, but living there seems drastic. I don't like the thought of living in a bubble, and I would miss the comforts of earth (such as natural oxygen, water, food, and cats) pretty quickly.

[–]ilovetodrinkbeer 27 points28 points ago

There are people who don't like people.

[–]Jigsus 4 points5 points ago

So they put people where there aren't any people.

[–]teklord 4 points5 points ago

** cough ** Australia ** cough **

[–]MelsEpicWheelTime 10 points11 points ago

Maybe it would be like the silicon valley. Dedicated to hydrogen 3 research, and shit. OR LIKE, BEEMING ENERGY TO THE EARTH, YEEAAAHHHH.

Its the future, make up a reason!

[–]n8bit 15 points16 points ago

Overpopulation, perhaps?

[–]BrainSlurper 4 points5 points ago

I'm sure the bubbles will be much smaller than our planet.

[–]Gottachill94 5 points6 points ago

Overpopulation of the earth, so we would have to move to the moon.

[–]Twofoe 9 points10 points ago

It'd be easier to make subterranean Earth colonies. Hell, it'd be easier to make air fortress and/or sea-floor colonies.

It'd be an awesome place to live, but I don't think overpopulation is going to force us to do so.

[–]2_Be_Continuum 4 points5 points ago

subterranean maybe, but air fortress...

[–]Twofoe 4 points5 points ago

Heh, versus moon colonies? Keep in mind Zeppelins have been around since the early 20th century.

[–]2_Be_Continuum 1 point2 points ago

That's holding a whole city in the air though, a moon city wouldn't need to stay afloat in the air for a good part of the year. Point, moon colony.

[–]FancyMoustache 3 points4 points ago

Zenon and her pals lived on the moon perfectly. Why can't we???

[–]Popapetic 3 points4 points ago

It was actually a space station.

[–]FancyMoustache 4 points5 points ago

Clearly you haven't seen the masterpiece, Zenon: Z3 AKA the one where Raven Symone, who was absent from the second movie, awkwardly reprises her character because she is contractually obligated to now has a show on the Channel Disney.

[–]Popapetic 2 points3 points ago

Cetus Lapetus! I forgot all about the sequels.

[–]Jigsus 1 point2 points ago

Work in a low gravity factory/research institute/shipyard? Plenty of things can't be done at earth gravity.

[–]AvidOxid 0 points1 point ago

Think of the epic vacation opportunities that would arise from this. I'm not saying that we have to all move there. I personally wouldn't for the points you've stated.

[–]dogismyname2 0 points1 point ago

Unlikely by Thursday.

[–]ARandomNobody 54 points55 points ago

TIL /r/futurology is a thing, an awesome new subreddit to subscribe to.

[–]toomuchLSD 7 points8 points ago

Welcome! Check out the handy dropdowns along the top left of this subreddit's for even more awesome.

[–]ARandomNobody 0 points1 point ago

Thank you! I'll definitely make myself right at home.

[–]i_like_pretty_things 15 points16 points ago

Relevant TNG Quote:

Zefram Cochrane: You don't have a moon in the 24th century?

William Riker: Sure we do. Just looks a lot different. There are 50 million people living on the moon in my time. You can see Tycho City, New Berlin... even Lake Armstrong on a day like this.

[–]FugginIpad 12 points13 points ago

Oh fuck this is all manner of awesome. You nailed it

[–]aspankdmonkey 12 points13 points ago

I actually got chills from this idea. In many ways, I love this period we live in. I'm part of the generation that gets to witness, and hopefully soon contribute to, one of the greatest periods of technological advance. It just blows my mind.

[–]Resinball 4 points5 points ago

"one of the greatest periods of technological advance" you know for any period you live in you could say the exact same phrase and be equally as correct.

[–]jbwhitmore 3 points4 points ago

The year 860CE?

[–]PancakeMonkeypants 0 points1 point ago

What if you lived and died in the dark ages?

[–]Just-my-2c 4 points5 points ago

well, as long as you were a muslim, it would still be pretty much correct.

[–]imtoooldforreddit 0 points1 point ago

then you would probably consider current times to be when you finally realized the way god wanted you to live. What a great time to be alive!!!

[–]matttrick -1 points0 points ago

we will likely never see the fruits of such efforts sadly

[–]potentiallyoffensive 6 points7 points ago

Do you think people in the 1920s thought humans would ever land on the moon?

[–]fingertrollin 96 points97 points ago

As cool as that is, it really reminds me of that Agent Smith quote from the Matrix:

"You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. "

Obviously abridged.

[–]Arousingly_Awkward 125 points126 points ago

That's what all of life does.

[–]sprucenoose 23 points24 points ago

Not to brag, but we humans are pretty damn good at it too.

[–]WhipIash 8 points9 points ago

He jumped straight from the virus analogy to cancer >.<

[–]WhipIash 1 point2 points ago

Huh, never knew. Still though, weird analogy.

[–]Autumnsprings 0 points1 point ago

HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer. Human Papilloma Virus. source If you've ever seen ads for the vaccine for HPV(like Gardisil,) it mentions this.

[–]LurkVoter 13 points14 points ago

1) There are places on earth that have been continuously inhabited by humans for 10,000 years, without issue.

2) The planet cannot have a disease or a cancer because the planet is a giant rock. You could say we are damaging the biosphere but that is a human value judgement, all we are doing is changing it and all the animals/plants incapable of even self awareness do not, can not give a fuck.

3) Birth rates are inversely proportional to wealth, going into the negative in the wealthiest countries.

That quote sucks and there's a reason the villain was saying it.

[–]volandil 10 points11 points ago

I for one agree completely with your words. About time we stop accepting guilt-inducing movie quotes so literally.

[–]imtoooldforreddit 0 points1 point ago

[–]beavis420 13 points14 points ago

It will be according to star trek.

[–]omplatt 15 points16 points ago

I hope to own property on Lake Armstrong.

[–]PancakeMonkeypants 1 point2 points ago

I hope we name more after him than just a lake. I want the first moon city to be named Armstrong. ...Maybe a suburb could be called Aldrin.

[–]FireAndSunshine 4 points5 points ago

Nobody care about Collins.

[–]jimb3rt 0 points1 point ago

That's what the first Lunar space station will be named.

[–]omplatt 0 points1 point ago

As do I, but my initial statement was a reference to a line from TNG 1st Contact.

[–]dogfunky 6 points7 points ago

This gave me goosebumps to think about.

[–]trevver 6 points7 points ago

What a provocative image - I can't remember ever seeing anything quite like it before!

[–]Stavica 6 points7 points ago

Well, this brings back a huge amount of my childhood fantasies.

I'm not too old, so that childhood was one of playing Homeworld, Freelancer, a few other space games. Always fascinated me, still does. I recall a dream when I was very young, where I was laying back on the field of my old Elementary school in a picnic with my family. Staring up at the sky, at nighttime, I saw a huge number of ships flying every which-way high in the sky, and the moon looked as if it was almost totally urbanized. Very, very pretty. Only other dream I remember from that general age is a nightmare involving my stuffed animals, and a stuffed animal squirrel that I didn't own, but haunted my dreams.

[–]RajMahal77 5 points6 points ago

Wow! I can see my apartment in New Berlin!

[–]Hypersapien 4 points5 points ago

I remember a station-identification clip that the (then) Sci-Fi channel used to play before the channel started to suck.

A road on dark night. A silhouette of an old classic convertable sits on a hill. Teenagers run in from off-camera and start piling into the car, yelling and laughing as the young are wont to do. They drive off in search of whatever mischief strikes their fancy. The camera pans up into the night sky to reveal a brightly glowing celestial body... not the moon, but the Earth.

[–]StrawburryMiwk 14 points15 points ago

Forgive my stupid but how would this work? Is there enough gravity, and is the lunar surface dense enough, to hold down structures, sewers, public transit? What effect would taking tons of mass from the Earth and putting it on the Moon have on tides or the general orbit? Not sure how to articulate what I'm getting at, here...

[–]technologyisnatural 16 points17 points ago

The gravity and soil density are fine. But there is no atmosphere, everything would have to be in pressurized domes with multiple yards/meters of solar/cosmic radiation protection (e.g., water). Only high tech would come from Earth, otherwise the materials would be found from the moon or, in the case of volatiles, "iceteroids" such as Ceres. Added lunar mass would be negligible in terms of tidal forces.

Since we found water at the lunar poles, habitation is inevitable. A stable lunar atmosphere, and eventual ecology, is much harder.

[–]The_Doctor_Bear 1 point2 points ago

We could theoretically import an atmosphere right? So that we don't need domes?

[–]Sheol 9 points10 points ago

You'd have two problems with that, the moon has vastly lower gravity which means that it would have a hard time holding onto an atmosphere and there is not magnetic belts which means solar winds can disrupt an atmosphere if there was one. It isn't even know if we would be able to import a stable atmosphere to Mars and I think the Moon would be even harder (if you don't take into account the size differences).

[–]montyy123 2 points3 points ago

No magnetic core in the moon presents some issues.

[–]The_Doctor_Bear 0 points1 point ago

Could we possibly build one?

I just found this article that says the the moon's core is capable of rotating slightly out of phase with the moons mantle and generating an electric field... I wonder I'd there is any way to get that running at levels that could support an atmosphere.

http://features.caltech.edu/features/266

[–]xudoxis 3 points4 points ago

If you are going to put a magnetic core in the moon why not just hollow out the moon and live inside?

[–]The_Doctor_Bear 3 points4 points ago

Well it might be easier and less expensive to give the moon an atmosphere than to hollow it out, I mean, I'm no experimental geophysicist or anything, but who knows.

And second I saw that time traveller movie, that's how we get morlocks dude.

[–]Lampjaw 2 points3 points ago

Man fuck morlocks.

[–]1991mgs 5 points6 points ago

Moon has 1/6 the gravity, that would be problematic. The lunar surface should be fine for building an infrastructure. Moving mass to the moon would have no significant effect.

[–]blinkergoesleft 4 points5 points ago

Any structures built on the moon would probably utilize resources from asteroids or the moon itself. The moon is iron underneath that dust so hold down structures probably wouldn't be a problem. As far as sewage goes...no idea.

I could see a few He3 mines and maybe a resort and relaxation area for workers, but outside of that I don't think we'll make full cities. They'd have to be in domes.

[–]replicated 3 points4 points ago

how would this work?

Money.

[–]drkphd 1 point2 points ago

What do you mean is there enough gravity? How would there not be enough gravity? Are you asking if things would float away?

[–]StrawburryMiwk 0 points1 point ago

I guess I'm not sure what I was asking on that one. I think of my daily commute, the trains I take, the stairs I climb up and down, the elevator I take up in my building, and wonder what this would be like on the Moon where we've all seen footage of them floating around lightly like it's a bouncy castle.

[–]PeopleAreStaring 6 points7 points ago

Gorgeous, though I don't imagine we will have a moon metropolis. But I love the idea of seeing anything man made in space from earth.

[–]iparga 3 points4 points ago

Do you have a supper large version? I would like to put this as my wallpaper...

[–]Baconshit 0 points1 point ago

I would love a wallpaper size!

[–]Clovyn 1 point2 points ago

I predict a defaced moon

[–]PanComedor 0 points1 point ago

WARNING: TV-tropes I just lost 3 hours to this mind vortex

[–]seaNgull 3 points4 points ago

If this does happen one day, I can't imagine how weird it will be to remember a time when the moon didn't have lights on it.

[–]Mikoangelo 0 points1 point ago

I know it's pretty weird for me to think of a time when not a single person had been outside the Earth.

[–]combasemsthefox 3 points4 points ago

I hope not. I hope we have a colony of the Moon but I would hate to spread out light pollution.

[–]DonSlice 14 points15 points ago

No atmosphere means no light pollution. :)

[–]AccountCreated4This 3 points4 points ago

So even if we had a colony with lights, we wouldn't see those lights from Earth?

[–]xudoxis 4 points5 points ago

We would see the light from Earth(if it were bright enough), but the view from the Moon would be uninhibited.

[–]Hypersapien 0 points1 point ago

We could build it on the far side of the moon.

[–]MedievalKnieval 3 points4 points ago

Would they actually build it on the dark side? Light side would be more practical: solar energy.

[–]Raithis 11 points12 points ago

The side shown is not "the dark side." The dark side of the moon merely refers to the face that we do not see; the moon is tidally locked and only one side is facing us at any given time. Both sides receive the same amount of light.

[–]MedievalKnieval 8 points9 points ago

Oh wow. My brain must've shut down for a bit there. I swear, I got As in my Astronomy classes.

[–]PancakeMonkeypants -1 points0 points ago

It must have. You completely forgot about moon phases :-P

[–]Hypersapien 0 points1 point ago

There is no permanent dark side of the moon. The "dark side" rotates around the moon and is always opposite the sun.

There is a near side and far side of the moon, though. The same side of the moon is always facing Earth.

[–]MedievalKnieval 0 points1 point ago

I was already corrected, and as I said, I had a total brain fart there.

[–]ubigeorge 0 points1 point ago

Ooh, like in the movie Iron Sky..creating a new moon horizon.

[–]amsid 1 point2 points ago

That would be an incredible sight at night. Hopefully it happens in this century.

[–]Anewpony 0 points1 point ago

Amazing

[–]silent_p 0 points1 point ago

Yes!@ Let's do this right. fuckin'. now!

[–]CashMoneyChina 0 points1 point ago

Awesome, very cool original content

[–]The_Trekspert 0 points1 point ago

Thank you for my new desktop background. :D

[–]MrJake10 -1 points0 points ago

Newt Gingrich?

[–]n3ur0n3t 0 points1 point ago

Subtly beautiful and not far fetched.

[–]elastic-craptastic 0 points1 point ago

It would be the view if the rotation of the moon sped or slowed down considerably. Then we could finally see the base on the other side. Apparently the buildings are mushroom shaped.

[–]hakczar 0 points1 point ago

you are brilliant

[–]GrandmasterKirbs 0 points1 point ago

The completion of the Lunar Colony Von Braun marks the advent of the Universal Century. About 80 years later the Earth Federation will roll out the RX-79-2 Gundam. /geekgasm

[–]madeupstatistician 0 points1 point ago

I'd be surprised if we made it that far without killing ourselves.

[–]Valadar917 0 points1 point ago

Even though the Doomsday clock is at a very relatively low point, not including NK's really bad missile tests.

[–]LPodyssey07 0 points1 point ago

I believe they're building a Giant H to orbit the moon in this picture.

[–]brucemo 0 points1 point ago

Well, it could be worse. The moon is already pretty significant light pollution, so it's not like a bunch of dipshits with lights going all night on the moon is going to wreck the view of the stars.

[–]Vison 0 points1 point ago

This is so inspiring. Gives me so much hope for the future.

[–]jstarlee 0 points1 point ago

All I can think of is the Moon will eventually be fucked up by us also and the inevitable headline/picture of the Moon colonies in smokes, visible from earth.

[–]molooch 0 points1 point ago

oh crap more light pollution, they better turn of the lights when i want to photograph during new moon

[–]jimb3rt 0 points1 point ago

I don't think you would be able to see it during a new moon, since it would be on the day side of the earth.

[–]Kidsturk 1 point2 points ago

You want Japan to move to the moon?

[–]IamBOXBOY 1 point2 points ago

Made a picture similar to this about a year ago. This would be awesome if it happened in my lifetime!

[–]Force_USN 1 point2 points ago

Now I've already stated my opinion of this in another post... which was very positive. But what about crime? It would be terribly easy to destroy parts of moon and people living there. Moon police?

Like what if moon bob stole another guys girl, and he decides to go over there and fuck bob up. There would have to be countless security measures.. as well as automated defense mechanisms. I mean... you can't just go from the dark side to the light in 5 minutes!

[–]Valadar917 0 points1 point ago

It's likely that they will deploy special space military troops when the moon becomes large enough to hold a civilian population.

Basically, the UNSC.

[–]Zyxil 0 points1 point ago

[–]donnie_depression -1 points0 points ago

Did you jizz on the moon bra?

[–]MiMuM -1 points0 points ago

The moon is sliding out of orbit from the earth. So it is kind of a bad investment

[–]sixteen-volume-meng 0 points1 point ago

I think it's inevitable. Maybe not soon, but someday.

[–]creep_creepette 0 points1 point ago

Can you imagine how much the earth's tides would change?

[–]KirbyG 0 points1 point ago

When we move to a lunar colony there won't be visible lights, most likely, because the living areas would be underground to act as radiation shielding. The moon doesn't have a strong enough magnetic field to protect people that live there from solar radiation.

http://www.moondaily.com/reports/Radiation_The_Moon_Greatest_Menace_999.html

[–]Relevant_Interests 0 points1 point ago

I would really enjoy a 1920x1080 of this. Or if someone knows of another picture like it in that resolution.

[–]iamtheowlman 0 points1 point ago

As the first celestial body up for human colonization, I suggest we plan our buildings carefully, so when they are all lit up, they form a penis.

[–]Tr0llzor 0 points1 point ago

I would not want this. it could seriously mess up the orbit

[–]Hefeweize 0 points1 point ago

Lol

[–]supergood 0 points1 point ago

Top scoring futurology link of all time. Cool.

[–]Baconshit 0 points1 point ago

Wallpaper sizes please?!?!?

[–]Orahpajo 0 points1 point ago

I need this in 1920x1080 please :D

[–]johannessagan 0 points1 point ago

i think this is one AWESOME pic/idea no 'visionary' director or sci fi author has ever thought about.

PATENT IT NOW!!!

[–]SteezeWalrus 0 points1 point ago

This picture is blowing up on multiple subreddits. Awesome picture.

[–]just_some_gomer 0 points1 point ago

dammit, i hope they start on the dark side first. i like the moon as is and will be reluctant to accept change.