How humans will evolve to survive in space | Lisa Nip | TEDxBeaconStreet
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0:17 - 0:20So there are lands
few and far between on Earth itself -
0:20 - 0:23that are hospitable to humans
by any measure, -
0:23 - 0:25but survive we have.
-
0:26 - 0:31Our primitive ancestors, when they found
their homes and livelihood endangered, -
0:31 - 0:34they dared to make their way
into unfamiliar territories -
0:34 - 0:36in search of better opportunities.
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0:37 - 0:39And as the descendants of these explorers,
-
0:39 - 0:42we have their nomadic blood
coursing through our own veins. -
0:43 - 0:44But at the same time,
-
0:44 - 0:46distracted by our bread and circuses
-
0:46 - 0:50and embroiled in the wars
that we have waged on each other, -
0:50 - 0:53it seems that we have forgotten
this desire to explore. -
0:54 - 0:58We, as a species, we're evolved uniquely
-
0:59 - 1:03for Earth, on Earth, and by Earth,
-
1:04 - 1:07and so content are we
with our living conditions -
1:07 - 1:11that we have grown complacent
and just too busy -
1:11 - 1:13to notice that its resources are finite,
-
1:13 - 1:16and that our Sun's life is also finite.
-
1:17 - 1:20While Mars and all the movies
made in its name -
1:20 - 1:23have reinvigorated
the ethos for space travel, -
1:23 - 1:28few of us seem to truly realize
that our species' fragile constitution -
1:28 - 1:32is woefully unprepared
for long duration journeys into space. -
1:33 - 1:35Let us take a trek
to your local national forest -
1:35 - 1:37for a quick reality check.
-
1:37 - 1:38So just a quick show of hands here:
-
1:38 - 1:42how many of you think you would be able
to survive in this lush wilderness -
1:42 - 1:43for a few days?
-
1:45 - 1:46Well, that's a lot of you.
-
1:46 - 1:47How about a few weeks?
-
1:49 - 1:50That's a decent amount.
-
1:50 - 1:51How about a few months?
-
1:52 - 1:54That's pretty good too.
-
1:54 - 1:57Now, let us imagine
that this local national forest -
1:57 - 2:00experiences an eternal winter.
-
2:01 - 2:05Same questions: how many of you think you
would be able to survive for a few days? -
2:06 - 2:08That's quite a lot.
-
2:08 - 2:09How about a few weeks?
-
2:10 - 2:15So for a fun twist, let us imagine
that the only source of water available -
2:15 - 2:19is trapped as frozen blocks
miles below the surface. -
2:19 - 2:23Soil nutrients are so minimal
that no vegetation can be found, -
2:23 - 2:27and of course hardly any atmosphere
exists to speak of. -
2:29 - 2:33Such examples are only a few
of the many challenges we would face -
2:33 - 2:35on a planet like Mars.
-
2:36 - 2:41So how do we steel ourselves for voyages
whose destinations are so far removed -
2:41 - 2:43from a tropical vacation?
-
2:44 - 2:46Will we continuously ship supplies
from Planet Earth? -
2:47 - 2:50Build space elevators,
or impossible miles of transport belts -
2:50 - 2:53that tether your planet of choice
to our home planet? -
2:54 - 2:59And how do we grow things like food
that grew up on Earth like us? -
3:01 - 3:03But I'm getting ahead of myself.
-
3:04 - 3:07In our species' journey
to find a new home under a new sun, -
3:08 - 3:12we are more likely than not
going to be spending much time -
3:12 - 3:13in the journey itself,
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3:14 - 3:15in space,
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3:15 - 3:18on a ship, a hermetic flying can,
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3:19 - 3:21possibly for many generations.
-
3:21 - 3:25The longest continuous amount of time
that any human has spent in space -
3:25 - 3:28is in the vicinity of 12 to 14 months.
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3:29 - 3:31From astronauts' experiences in space,
-
3:31 - 3:35we know that spending time
in a microgravity environment -
3:35 - 3:39means bone loss, muscle atrophy,
cardiovascular problems, -
3:39 - 3:41among many other complications
-
3:41 - 3:44that range for the physiological
to the psychological. -
3:45 - 3:47And what about macrogravity,
-
3:47 - 3:49or any other variation
in gravitational pull -
3:49 - 3:51of the planet that we find ourselves on?
-
3:53 - 3:56In short, our cosmic voyages
will be fraught with dangers -
3:56 - 3:58both known and unknown.
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3:59 - 4:03So far we've been looking to this
new piece of mechanical technology -
4:03 - 4:05or that great next generation robot
-
4:05 - 4:09as part of a lineup to ensure
our species safe passage in space. -
4:10 - 4:13Wonderful as they are,
I believe the time has come -
4:13 - 4:17for us to complement
these bulky electronic giants -
4:17 - 4:19with what nature has already invented:
-
4:20 - 4:22the microbe,
-
4:22 - 4:27a single-celled organism that is itself
a self-generating, self-replenishing, -
4:27 - 4:28living machine.
-
4:29 - 4:31It requires fairly little to maintain,
-
4:31 - 4:33offers much flexibility in design
-
4:33 - 4:36and only asks to be carried
in a single plastic tube. -
4:37 - 4:41The field of study that has enabled us
to utilize the capabilities of the microbe -
4:41 - 4:43is known as synthetic biology.
-
4:44 - 4:48It comes from molecular biology,
which has given us antibiotics, vaccines -
4:48 - 4:51and better ways to observe
the physiological nuances -
4:51 - 4:52of the human body.
-
4:53 - 4:54Using the tools of synthetic biology,
-
4:55 - 4:57we can now edit the genes
of nearly any organism, -
4:57 - 4:59microscopic or not,
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4:59 - 5:02with incredible speed and fidelity.
-
5:03 - 5:06Given the limitations
of our man-made machines, -
5:06 - 5:10synthetic biology will be a means for us
to engineer not only our food, -
5:10 - 5:12our fuel and our environment,
-
5:12 - 5:15but also ourselves
-
5:15 - 5:17to compensate
for our physical inadequacies -
5:17 - 5:20and to ensure our survival in space.
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5:21 - 5:22To give you an example
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5:22 - 5:25of how we can use synthetic biology
for space exploration, -
5:25 - 5:27let us return to the Mars environment.
-
5:28 - 5:33The Martian soil composition is similar
to that of Hawaiian volcanic ash, -
5:33 - 5:35with trace amounts of organic material.
-
5:35 - 5:38Let's say, hypothetically,
-
5:38 - 5:40what if martian soil
could actually support plant growth -
5:40 - 5:42without using Earth-derived nutrients?
-
5:43 - 5:45The first question
we should probably ask is, -
5:45 - 5:48how would we make
our plants cold-tolerant? -
5:48 - 5:50Because, on average,
the temperature on Mars -
5:50 - 5:53is a very uninviting
negative 60 degrees centigrade. -
5:54 - 5:56The next question we should ask is,
-
5:56 - 5:58how do we make
our plants drought-tolerant? -
5:58 - 6:01Considering that most of the water
that forms as frost -
6:01 - 6:04evaporates more quickly
than I can say the word "evaporate." -
6:05 - 6:08Well, it turns out
we've already done things like this. -
6:08 - 6:12By borrowing genes
for anti-freeze protein from fish -
6:12 - 6:15and genes for drought tolerance
from other plants like rice -
6:15 - 6:18and then stitching them
into the plants that need them, -
6:18 - 6:21we now have plants that can tolerate
most droughts and freezes. -
6:21 - 6:24They're known on Earth as GMOs,
-
6:24 - 6:26or genetically modified organisms,
-
6:27 - 6:31and we rely on them to feed
all the mouths of human civilization. -
6:32 - 6:36Nature does stuff like this already,
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6:36 - 6:37without our help.
-
6:37 - 6:40We have simply found
more precise ways to do it. -
6:41 - 6:45So why would we want to change
the genetic makeup of plants for space? -
6:46 - 6:50Well, to not do so
would mean needing to engineer -
6:50 - 6:53endless acres of land
on an entirely new planet -
6:53 - 6:57by releasing trillions of gallons
of atmospheric gasses -
6:57 - 7:00and then constructing
a giant glass dome to contain it all. -
7:00 - 7:03It's an unrealistic engineering enterprise
-
7:03 - 7:06that quickly becomes
a high-cost cargo transport mission. -
7:07 - 7:09One of the best ways to ensure
-
7:09 - 7:12that we will have the food supplies
and the air that we need -
7:12 - 7:15is to bring with us organisms
that have been engineered -
7:15 - 7:18to adapt to new and harsh environments.
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7:19 - 7:23In essence, using engineered organisms
to help us terraform a planet -
7:23 - 7:25both in the short and long term.
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7:26 - 7:30These organisms can then also
be engineered to make medicine or fuel. -
7:32 - 7:36So we can use synthetic biology
to bring highly engineered plants with us, -
7:36 - 7:37but what else can we do?
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7:38 - 7:41Well, I mentioned earlier
that we, as a species, -
7:41 - 7:43were evolved uniquely for planet Earth.
-
7:44 - 7:46That fact has not changed much
in the last five minutes -
7:46 - 7:49that you were sitting here
and I was standing there. -
7:49 - 7:53And so, if we were to dump
any of us on Mars right this minute, -
7:53 - 7:57even given ample food, water, air
-
7:57 - 7:58and a suit,
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7:58 - 8:01we are likely to experience
very unpleasant health problems -
8:01 - 8:05from the amount of ionizing radiation
that bombards the surface -
8:05 - 8:09of planets like Mars that have little
or nonexistent atmosphere. -
8:09 - 8:11Unless we plan
to stay holed up underground -
8:11 - 8:14for the duration of our stay
on every new planet, -
8:14 - 8:17we must find better ways
of protecting ourselves -
8:17 - 8:20without needing to resort
to wearing a suit of armor -
8:20 - 8:22that weighs something
equal to your own body weight, -
8:22 - 8:25or needing to hide behind a wall of lead.
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8:26 - 8:29So let us appeal
to nature for inspiration. -
8:30 - 8:32Among the plethora of life here on Earth,
-
8:32 - 8:35there's a subset of organisms
known as extremophiles, -
8:35 - 8:37or lovers of extreme living conditions,
-
8:37 - 8:40if you'll remember
from high school biology. -
8:40 - 8:44And among these organisms is a bacterium
by the name of Deinococcus radiodurans. -
8:45 - 8:50It is known to be able to withstand cold,
dehydration, vacuum, acid, -
8:50 - 8:53and, most notably, radiation.
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8:53 - 8:56While its radiation
tolerance mechanisms are known, -
8:56 - 8:59we have yet to adapt
the relevant genes to mammals. -
9:00 - 9:02To do so is not particularly easy.
-
9:02 - 9:05There are many facets
that go into its radiation tolerance, -
9:05 - 9:07and it's not as simple
as transferring one gene. -
9:08 - 9:11But given a little bit of human ingenuity
-
9:11 - 9:12and a little bit of time,
-
9:13 - 9:15I think to do so is not very hard either.
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9:16 - 9:22Even if we borrow just a fraction
of its ability to tolerate radiation, -
9:22 - 9:25it would be infinitely better
than what we already have, -
9:25 - 9:27which is just the melanin in our skin.
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9:29 - 9:31Using the tools of synthetic biology,
-
9:31 - 9:34we can harness Deinococcus
radiodurans' ability -
9:34 - 9:37to thrive under otherwise
very lethal doses of radiation. -
9:40 - 9:41As difficult as it is to see,
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9:42 - 9:44homo sapiens, that is humans,
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9:45 - 9:47evolves every day,
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9:48 - 9:49and still continues to evolve.
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9:50 - 9:52Thousands of years of human evolution
-
9:52 - 9:55has not only given us
humans like Tibetans, -
9:55 - 9:58who can thrive in low-oxygen conditions,
-
9:58 - 10:03but also Argentinians,
who can ingest and metabolize arsenic, -
10:03 - 10:06the chemical element
that can kill the average human being. -
10:06 - 10:10Every day, the human body evolves
by accidental mutations -
10:10 - 10:13that equally accidentally
allow certain humans -
10:13 - 10:15to persevere in dismal situations.
-
10:16 - 10:18But, and this is a big but,
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10:19 - 10:24such evolution requires two things
that we may not always have, -
10:24 - 10:25or be able to afford,
-
10:26 - 10:28and they are death and time.
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10:30 - 10:33In our species' struggle
to find our place in the universe, -
10:33 - 10:35we may not always have the time necessary
-
10:35 - 10:38for the natural evolution
of extra functions -
10:38 - 10:40for survival on non-Earth planets.
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10:40 - 10:45We're living in what E.O. Wilson
has termed the age of gene circumvention, -
10:45 - 10:50during which we remedy our genetic defects
like cystic fibrosis or muscular dystrophy -
10:50 - 10:53with temporary external supplements.
-
10:54 - 10:55But with every passing day,
-
10:56 - 10:59we approach the age
of volitional evolution, -
10:59 - 11:01a time during which we as a species
-
11:01 - 11:06will have the capacity to decide
for ourselves our own genetic destiny. -
11:07 - 11:09Augmenting the human body
with new abilities -
11:09 - 11:11is no longer a question of how,
-
11:12 - 11:13but of when.
-
11:14 - 11:15Using synthetic biology
-
11:16 - 11:19to change the genetic makeup
of any living organisms, -
11:19 - 11:20especially our own,
-
11:20 - 11:22is not without its moral
and ethical quandaries. -
11:23 - 11:26Will engineering ourselves
make us less human? -
11:27 - 11:29But then again, what is humanity
-
11:29 - 11:32but star stuff
that happens to be conscious? -
11:33 - 11:36Where should human genius direct itself?
-
11:37 - 11:41Surely it is a bit of a waste
to sit back and marvel at it. -
11:42 - 11:43How do we use our knowledge
-
11:43 - 11:46to protect ourselves
from the external dangers -
11:46 - 11:49and then protect ourselves from ourselves?
-
11:50 - 11:52I pose these questions
-
11:52 - 11:54not to engender the fear of science
-
11:54 - 11:56but to bring to light
the many possibilities -
11:56 - 12:00that science has afforded
and continues to afford us. -
12:01 - 12:05We must coalesce as humans
to discuss and embrace the solutions -
12:05 - 12:06not only with caution
-
12:07 - 12:09but also with courage.
-
12:10 - 12:14Mars is a destination,
-
12:14 - 12:16but it will not be our last.
-
12:17 - 12:20Our true final frontier
is the line we must cross -
12:20 - 12:25in deciding what we can and should make
of our species' improbable intelligence. -
12:26 - 12:30Space is cold, brutal and unforgiving.
-
12:31 - 12:34Our path to the stars
will be rife with trials -
12:34 - 12:37that will bring us to question
not only who we are -
12:37 - 12:38but where we will be going.
-
12:39 - 12:43The answers will lie in our choice
to use or abandon the technology -
12:43 - 12:45that we have gleaned from life itself,
-
12:45 - 12:49and it will define us for the remainder
of our term in this universe. -
12:49 - 12:50Thank you.
-
12:50 - 12:55(Applause)
- Title:
- How humans will evolve to survive in space | Lisa Nip | TEDxBeaconStreet
- Description:
-
If we hope to one day leave Earth and explore the universe, our bodies are going to have to get a lot better at surviving the harsh conditions of space. Using synthetic biology, Lisa Nip hopes to harness special powers from microbes on Earth — such as the ability to withstand radiation — to make humans more fit for exploring space. "We're approaching a time during which we'll have the capacity to decide our own genetic destiny," Nip says. "Augmenting the human body with new abilities is no longer a question of how, but of when."
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 13:11
TED Translators admin edited English subtitles for How humans will evolve to survive in space | Lisa Nip | TEDxBeaconStreet | ||
TED Translators admin edited English subtitles for How humans will evolve to survive in space | Lisa Nip | TEDxBeaconStreet | ||
Ivana Korom edited English subtitles for How humans will evolve to survive in space | Lisa Nip | TEDxBeaconStreet | ||
Ivana Korom edited English subtitles for How humans will evolve to survive in space | Lisa Nip | TEDxBeaconStreet | ||
TED Translators admin edited English subtitles for How humans will evolve to survive in space | Lisa Nip | TEDxBeaconStreet | ||
TED Translators admin edited English subtitles for How humans will evolve to survive in space | Lisa Nip | TEDxBeaconStreet | ||
TED Translators admin edited English subtitles for How humans will evolve to survive in space | Lisa Nip | TEDxBeaconStreet |