Let's Not Live on Mars, and other stories
Welcome to Ramin’s Space, the newsletter from WIRED space writer Ramin Skibba. You can read more about the newsletter here. If you like it, please consider subscribing and sharing this post.
Let’s Go to Mars. Let’s Not Live There
Sure, it would be spectacular to visit Mars, a strange new world with different terrains and scientific mysteries to explore. But many people seem to be salivating over the idea of somehow building a new civilization there. Considering the harsh conditions, the lack of oxygen and water, the lack of trees and wildlife, the social isolation, the likelihood of cancer and an early death, do you really want that? Earth’s our home, and there’s no substitute for it. Hope you enjoy this essay.
Astronomers May Have Spotted the Universe’s First Galaxies
A team of scientists used the James Webb Space Telescope’s powerful infrared camera to discover what *might* be among the first galaxies ever to form in the universe. It’s quite an achievement, if confirmed.
You Might Survive a Nuclear Blast—if You the Right Shelter
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the hands of the Doomsday Clock closer than they’ve ever been to an apocalyptic midnight, citing the escalating risks of nuclear war following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Inspired by this deadly conflict, other researchers studied another aspect of nuclear bombs: the chances of people far from the epicenter of surviving the blast. It’s a grim subject, but we can’t look away.
It’s Not Sci-Fi—NASA Is Funding These Mind-Blowing Projects
NASA’s investing in the future of space exploration, including the possibility of building a Mars habitat out of fungus, of installing an oxygen pipeline on the moon, and of assembling massive telescopes in space. This was my most popular WIRED story over the past month.
In other writing…
Can 3-D printing help solve the housing crisis?
A startup is using 3-D-printed construction to quickly assemble new homes, which many places in the US desperately need. But I think it’s primarily a political crisis, a point Rachel Monroe concedes here, and I’m skeptical that just throwing a few extra houses into the mix won’t be enough to solve it.
If you’re a grammar nerd like me, I also recommend another New Yorker piece by David Owen.
Database States
Seems like so much of our lives have now been dissected and categorized in myriad databases, to be plumbed by government agencies or companies. In this piece, Sanjana Varghese explores the concept of the UK as a “database state,” focusing on the country’s immigration system.
This is published in The Baffler, a weird and unique magazine that I recommend checking out. I also liked this recent piece by Adam Gaffney.
Of alpha dogs and cat poop
Is the urge to start a company caused by a brain parasite, coming from contact with an infected cat’s feces? Adam Rogers examines the possibility of this bizarre connection in Business Insider.
Downward spiral
Turns out that the iconic, giant snails known as nautiluses inhabit not just a hidden world in deep ocean waters but also one threatened by warming temperatures and hunters. I like this interesting feature in bioGraphic magazine, written by Kate Evans.
What I’m reading: They Are Already Here, a fascinating book about UFOs and UFO culture by Sarah Scoles.
Looking back: I remember reporting on damage wrought by El Niño-driven storms for the Monterey Herald newspaper seven years ago. Now with a bigger wave of more intense storms in California, we’re seeing more climate-related impacts around here.
More about me: I’m the space writer at WIRED magazine, and I’ve recently moved from San Diego to the Bay Area. I used to be a freelance writer and journalist, and before that, an astrophysicist. You can find me at my website, raminskibba.net, and on Twitter @raminskibba. I’m also former president of the San Diego Science Writers Association (SANDSWA) and on the board of the National Association of Science Writers (NASW), though the opinions I express are mine alone. If someone has forwarded this email to you, you’re welcome to subscribe too.