In an upcoming interview on the Space Cafe Podcast, planetary scientist Pascal Lee presented a provocative vision for the future of space exploration. As we grapple with the challenges of interstellar travel, Lee suggests that the solution may lie not in advancing rocket technology, but in redefining what we consider "human."

The Limits of Biological Humans in Space

Interstellar travel poses numerous challenges for biological humans:

1. Extremely long journey times (potentially thousands of years)
2. Radiation exposure
3. Psychological stress of prolonged isolation
4. Limited resources for life support
5. Aging and generational shifts during travel

Enter Artificial Humans

Lee proposes that as the line between humans and artificial intelligence blurs, we may create a new category of explorers:

• Entities with human-level intelligence and emotional capacity
• Physically resilient to the harsh conditions of space
• Potentially immortal or with extremely long lifespans
• Ability to "hibernate" or power down during long journeys
• No need for traditional life support systems

Advantages of Artificial Human Explorers

1. Longevity: Could survive journeys lasting thousands of years
2. Resilience: Engineered to withstand radiation and other space hazards
3. Efficiency: Lower resource requirements compared to biological humans
4. Adaptability: Could be designed for specific mission parameters
5. Representative of Humanity: Would carry human knowledge, values, and goals

Ethical and Philosophical Implications

This concept raises profound questions:

• What defines humanity? Is it our biological form or our consciousness and values?
• How would we ensure these artificial humans truly represent us?
• What rights would these entities have?
• How would this change our approach to space colonization?

The Path Forward

While this technology doesn't exist yet, rapid advancements in AI, robotics, and biotechnology are bringing us closer to this possibility. Lee suggests that this could be the next step in human evolution - a technological leap that allows us to transcend our biological limitations and truly become a spacefaring species.

What do you think, Futurology? Is this the key to unlocking the stars, or does it present more challenges than it solves? How might this reshape our understanding of humanity and our place in the cosmos?

Title basically and any more interesting info you know or have

Post:I've been exploring a novel concept in cancer treatment that combines elements of stem cell therapy, cellular reprogramming, and immunotherapy. I wanted to share it here and get feedback from this community.The Concept:Stem Cell Harvesting: Stem cells would be obtained from the patient, either through a blood draw or by harvesting them from bone marrow.Cellular Reprogramming: These stem cells would be reprogrammed using specific genes or proteins to transform them into specialized cancer-killing immune cells. This step goes beyond the typical methods that focus on modifying existing immune cells.Targeted Therapy: The newly reprogrammed immune cells would be infused back into the patient's body, functioning similarly to existing immunotherapies, but with potentially more diverse and targeted immune responses.Potential Benefits:Personalization: Since the cells come from the patient’s own body, this method could lead to highly personalized and potentially more effective cancer treatment.Reduced Side Effects: Utilizing the patient's own stem cells might decrease the risk of adverse reactions compared to some other cancer treatments.Broader Immune Response: The reprogramming process could create a more varied set of immune cells, potentially enhancing the body's ability to fight cancer.Why I'm Sharing This:While elements of this concept exist in isolation, combining them in this way could represent a new frontier in cancer treatment. However, I'm curious to hear from experts and enthusiasts:Is this concept technically feasible with current or near-future technology?What challenges would need to be addressed to make this a reality?How could this approach be further developed or tested?I’m really excited to hear your thoughts and start a discussion around this idea. Any feedback or insights are welcome!

I'm fascinated by the idea of creating a comprehensive model that replicates the entire human body, down to its nerves, tissues, and chemical reactions. With advancements in digital twins, organ-on-a-chip, and 3D bioprinting technologies, is it possible to develop a model that accurately represents the complexity of human anatomy for drug testing and nanotechnology research?

I'm particularly interested in how such a model could be used to test new drugs, understand disease mechanisms, and even explore the potential of nanotechnology in treating conditions like cardiovascular diseases. How far are we from achieving this? Are there any startups or companies already working on creating such detailed human body models? What are the current challenges and limitations in developing these technologies?

I'd love to hear thoughts from those in the fields of bioengineering, medical research, or anyone with insights into the future of these fascinating technologies!

Writing from Peru, an Andean country in South America, where the potato is native.

I work in a research center dedicated to Andean tubers, where conservation is done in-vitro, that is, in experimental conditions, which allow storage, reproduction, research and later repatriation, which is to implant the pipettes in fertile soil. Currently, there is an agreement with NASA, which I do not know much about -I work in another area-, but I have heard about it in lunches. Basically, they share data about expeditions, specifically about soil conditions, atmospheric pressure, composition and other variables necessary to think about how potatoes could be planted on a planet other than Earth. It's wonderful. But it also makes me think about how to coordinate not only at an international level, but also thinking about frontiers beyond. What is the future of food? It is known that the effect of climate change is irreversible, and that time has run out to reach a consensus on mitigation strategies. So, the only way out in the medium and/or long term is to migrate to another planet? It is something that is already known, it is taken for granted, although not publicly?

I would probably have one or a couple work a business, like making and delivering pizzas or building low-cost housing for people while I worked in addition to their work if we still lived in a market economy. If we switched from a market economy to a universal basic income policy or a gift economy, then I would use the robot to do a bunch of stuff.

How many years to become an expert in each area and then incorporate them together in research that contributes to making us cyborgs? 20?, from artificial limbs with sensory and nervous capacity, artificial organs, to putting the mind, brain, human consciousness in an artificial body.

It's too much to learn for one lifetime, I only have 5 years left before I have to work in a company for money and sell my skills, I study computer science, right now I'm only able to create software, "mathematical beings where imagination is the limit", I lack imagination, what can I do? I would like to create software, anything that can take us to the next level, non-profit, open source, the only thing I can think of is AIs, there's not much else to do, any ideas?

I figured it would be a fun little discussion to see what most of us are hoping we'll live to see in terms of technology and medicine in the future. Especially as we'll each likely have slightly different answers.

I'll go first, as ever since I turned 34 two months ago, I've thought an awful lot about it. I'm hoping I'll end up seeing the cures for many forms of cancers, but in particular lung and ovarian cancer, as both have claimed the lives of most of my family members. I'd also like to see teeth and hair regeneration become a thing as well. (The post I made about the human trials starting this month in Japan gives me hope about the former of those two). Along with that, I'd love to see the ability to grow human organs for people using their own DNA, thus making most risk of the body rejecting it negated.

As someone who suffers from tinnitus, I'm hoping I'll see a permanent cure or remedy come to pass in my life. Quantum Computing and DNA data storage are something I would absolutely love to see as well, as they've always fascinated me. I'd love to see space travel expanded, including finally sending astronauts to Mars like I constantly saw in science fiction growing up. Synthetic fuels that have very little to no carbon emissions that can power internal combustion engines are a big one, as I'd like a way to still own and drive classic cars, even if conventional gasoline ends up being banned, without converting it to electric power. And while I am cautious about artificial intelligence and making humanlike AI companions, at the same time, I also would like to see them. The idea of something I couldn't tell the difference from a regular human is fascinating, to reuse the word.

But my ultimate hope, my white unicorn of things I want, desperately so, to live to see, is, of course, life extension and physical age reversal. This is simply because, at my age, I already know just 70-100 years of life is not enough for me, and there are far, far too many things I want to do, that will take more than a single natural lifetime to accomplish. And many will require me to have a youthful physical body in order to do so. So that is the Big Kahuna for me. The one above all others I literally pray every night I'll live to see.

But those are a few of the things I hope I'll live to see come to pass. Now it's your turn. In terms of medicine and technology, what are you hoping you'll live to see? I'm curious to hear your answers!

How much solar power would be needed in each timezone to power the entire planet? Assuming about 8-12 time zones produce the bulk of power at any given time. Oceans are fair game.

I have been trying articulate this theory... I feel there was a point where you had groups of people who dressed the same, thereby setting fashion trends. So 1980s, you had 80s fashion yet you also had punk fashion, big hair etc... 90s grunge, urban, perhaps whatever the antithesis of that was.

Now... as a teacher I am around teenagers all the time and there seems to be... no identifiable fashion trends. You have people who stand out as individuals, someone may dress very prep, or very goth, or very "athlete", but they are standing out as individuals not as some sort of fashion or subculture. Rather, people tend to dress relatively the same.

I will say, probably the only identifiable subculture I see is when I go into the really wealthy side of the city, where you see sundresses, polos, kind of gold style clothes. That actually stands out as a clear fashion trend. I also think the Patrick Mahomes looking curly hair style is a set trend, but even then that's more of an overall trend rather than a subculture trend... athletes/artists/regular boys alike are sort of adopting that style. But beyond that, there seems to not really be overriding fashion trends.

Now, the argument against myself here is... these subcultures/trends are really the ones that we remember. What was the average teenager wearing in the 90s? 80s? I couldn't really tell you.