Being a space cowboy himself (*unofficially), Jeff Bezos has certain ideas about how the future of humanity might look like, especially in relation to current endeavors for space tourism and exploration. It’s not something you haven’t heard before.
In his capacity as CEO of Blue Origin and someone who has flown to the edge of space on his own rocket, Bezos was on hand for a panel discussion the Ignatius Forum in Washington, DC. While here, he talked about his idea for the future and how it partially clashes with that of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who aims to colonize Mars by terraforming it. Humankind, Bezos believes, as cited by The Independent, will live on high-tech colonies that they will build themselves.
Humans born on these colonies will come to regard Earth the way we regard national parks today, meaning beautiful places we visit occasionally on vacation, but which we are not allowed to interfere with in any shape or form.
“Over centuries, many people will be born in space, it will be their first home. They will be born on these colonies, live on these colonies, then they’ll visit Earth the way you would visit, you know, Yellowstone National Park,” Bezos told the panel.
Bezos also said that he believes colonizing existing planets is pointless for a variety of reasons, in addition to the challenges of terraforming. The aliens probably living on them already would be another good reason to avoid them, he said, adding that he didn’t personally believe alien lifeforms have yet visited our planet.
Bezos’ idea for these future space colonies is that they’re more like floating cities, habitats complete with “rivers and forests and wildlife,” and especially packed with technology that allows for and sustains life.
If this or his suggestion at future vacations on Earth rings vaguely familiar, it’s probably because it’s been a common theme in certain sci-fi Hollywood movies or in literature for years.
Humans born on these colonies will come to regard Earth the way we regard national parks today, meaning beautiful places we visit occasionally on vacation, but which we are not allowed to interfere with in any shape or form.
“Over centuries, many people will be born in space, it will be their first home. They will be born on these colonies, live on these colonies, then they’ll visit Earth the way you would visit, you know, Yellowstone National Park,” Bezos told the panel.
Bezos also said that he believes colonizing existing planets is pointless for a variety of reasons, in addition to the challenges of terraforming. The aliens probably living on them already would be another good reason to avoid them, he said, adding that he didn’t personally believe alien lifeforms have yet visited our planet.
Bezos’ idea for these future space colonies is that they’re more like floating cities, habitats complete with “rivers and forests and wildlife,” and especially packed with technology that allows for and sustains life.
If this or his suggestion at future vacations on Earth rings vaguely familiar, it’s probably because it’s been a common theme in certain sci-fi Hollywood movies or in literature for years.