The feasibility of space colonization has been a topic of debate among scientists, engineers, and futurists for decades. While some argue that advancements in technology and the recent rise of commercial space exploration make space colonization inevitable, others point to the challenges and limitations that could inhibit our ability to sustain human life in space.
One of the main arguments in favor of space colonization is the potential benefits it could bring, such as alleviating overpopulation on Earth and providing new resources and opportunities for human expansion. However, many experts also acknowledge the significant challenges that come with space colonization, including the harsh and inhospitable conditions of space, the need for complex life-support systems, and the high cost and risks associated with space travel.
Enter the Pancosmorio theory
In the 1960s and 70s, scientists speculated about how humans could live in space and the benefits this could bring in terms of alleviating overpopulation and environmental degradation. The recent rise of commercial space exploration and renewed efforts to explore space have led some to believe that human migration to space is inevitable.
However, Universe Today reveals what a new theory called Pancosmorio has to say, suggesting that specific life-sustaining conditions unique to Earth could inhibit our expansion into space. The theory argues that without an Earth-like “self-restoring order, capacity, and organization,” space settlements would fail to be sustainable and collapse quickly. The theory was developed by Morgan and Lee Irons, who founded the startup Deep Space Ecology to engineer ecological systems for sustainable food production in space and on Earth.
George K. O’Neill said in ‘The Colonization of Space’ back in 1974, as Universe Today quotes:
It is possible even with existing technology, if done in the most efficient ways. New methods are needed, but none goes beyond the range of present-day knowledge. The challenge is to bring the goal of space colonization into economic feasibility now, and the key is to treat the region beyond Earth not as a void but as a culture medium, rich in matter and energy. Then, in a time short enough to be useful, the exponential growth of colonies can reach the point at which the colonies can be of great benefit to the entire human race.
The Pancosmorio theory draws on ecological thermodynamics theory and the methodology of abductive reasoning to consider the consequences of humans leaving Earth’s life-sustaining regenerative systems behind. The paper argues that human growth beyond Earth will be limited by the absence of these systems and the implications of leaving them behind.
