When technology permits, should we terraform Mars?

[LostInAnomie]

I'm all for it.

[Forkboy]

1. Yes, and eventually we may have no choice anyways.

Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy would be a nice blueprint to follow.

[proteus_lives]

2. Mars, Venus, Mercury, the various moons and asteroids.

Our population is going to decrease. As soon as we're able, we'll spread to other planets.

[kentauros]

3. Yes, but won't we have to add mass to the planet

to keep an atmosphere in place? That and somehow get a magnetic field around it to protect everyone, like our Van Allen Belts?

[Forkboy]

4. Those Van Allen Belts never go with my shoes.

:yoiks:

[kentauros]

5. Maybe Allen Van Allen can make you some new shoes...

For Industry!

[TheKentuckian]

6. I'm a prime directive guy. Yes, if there isn't life already. (nt)

[Orsino]

7. The key question: can we even terraform Earth?

I have to remain skeptical of our willingness to spend all that energy just to stabilize an environment tens of millions of miles away--when we can't even do it here.