From: Harvey Newstrom (mail@HarveyNewstrom.com)
Date: Sun Feb 17 2002 - 12:51:06 MST
Spudboy100@aol.com quoted,
> http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991936
> "Magic number" for space pioneers calculated
This entire article is unsupported. It clearly acknowledges the possibility
of using sperm banks to maintain genetic diversity. However the article
prefers to carry an entire population for genetic diversity instead. The
article says that "the family", "a million-year-old institution" is the
"right stuff" but it doesn't say why.
This solution does not help space exploration or the viability of
multi-generational space missions. This is merely an attempt to impose
traditional family units onto space travelers and to limit sexual
reproduction to married couples while shunning the use of artificial
insemination. I see no reason why these traditional (and possibly
religious) limits should be imposed on the space program.
-- Harvey Newstrom, CISSP <www.HarveyNewstrom.com> Principal Security Consultant <www.Newstaff.com> Board Member <www.Extropy.org> Cofounder <www.ProgressAction.org> Member <www.Transhumanism.org>
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