Humankind's Safety Net

The colonization of space may be a necessary next step for mankind if we want to overcome the threat of extinction. Space colonization is the permanent human habitation off of planet Earth, and it’s an idea that’s been considered since humans set foot on the moon. The motivation is simple: make other planets habitable for when Earth isn’t anymore. In the case of a natural or man-made disaster, the survival of the human race would hinge on the availability of an alternative location to live on. In the 1980’s, former U.S. Department of State member Louis J. Halle believed that space colonization could protect humanity in the event of nuclear warfare, and today it could potentially protect us from the deterioration of our planet via global warming among other lasting issues.

I believe that the human race will face long-term extinction if we do not look to space colonization as the safety net for the inevitable destruction of our planet. In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, such as increasing climate change or nuclear destruction, it makes good, practical sense that we might have an off-Earth “backup” to our civilization. While the details may be complex, the overall concept is simple: establish colonies on other celestial bodies (the moon, mercury, venus, mars, maybe even the asteroid belt) that will remain dependent on Earth for some time, and then gradually develop them to the point of being self-sufficient. This way, these settlements could continue even if Earth’s civilizations are struck with disaster, fail, or otherwise die out. The third step is these colonies having the ability to expand themselves, through increasing both physical size and population. The theoretical final step is these settlements being able to reproduce the process, leading to a continuous spreading of these settlements through our solar system and beyond.

With the difficulties the planet Earth currently faces, like climate change, the draining of resources, and overpopulation, it’s clear to see why a “backup” would be a feasible next step. In the event that our planet can no longer provide what the human race needs to survive, there should be alternative civilizations to depend on for the future of our kind. This is a concept that humans have already embarked upon, if on a much smaller scale: when the Europeans started settlements to tame and colonize the New World. It’s 2020, and the Milky Way is our “New World”. Just as it was for the. Americas’ first European settlers, life in space will be thwarted with difficulties, but what we stand to gain will be worth the initial struggles. Space colonization offers us a guaranteed safety net in the event of disaster, or at the very least, new untapped springs of natural resources. I find that extraterrestrial colonization is a necessary next step in the survival of humankind, and the sooner we embark on the journey that is inhabiting space, the smaller our chances of extinction become.