Is it ethical for Chang'e-4 to bring an entire ecosystem to the moon?












3















As far as I know, it isn't ethical to contaminate outer space with life from Earth, because then we will never be sure if life can actually grow there. However, I just read reports that the latest Chang'e-4 brings an entire ecosystem to the far side of the moon, with Arabidopsis plant seeds and even silkworms.



Is this okay? Even if it is contained within the machine and not spewed out? What danger is there of the plant material coming out of the machine and contaminating the moon?






the-moon astrobiology chang-e ethics







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  • What system of ethics?

    – Organic Marble
    23 mins ago
















3















As far as I know, it isn't ethical to contaminate outer space with life from Earth, because then we will never be sure if life can actually grow there. However, I just read reports that the latest Chang'e-4 brings an entire ecosystem to the far side of the moon, with Arabidopsis plant seeds and even silkworms.



Is this okay? Even if it is contained within the machine and not spewed out? What danger is there of the plant material coming out of the machine and contaminating the moon?






the-moon astrobiology chang-e ethics







share|improve this question









New contributor




jonvyltra is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





















  • What system of ethics?

    – Organic Marble
    23 mins ago














3












3








3








As far as I know, it isn't ethical to contaminate outer space with life from Earth, because then we will never be sure if life can actually grow there. However, I just read reports that the latest Chang'e-4 brings an entire ecosystem to the far side of the moon, with Arabidopsis plant seeds and even silkworms.



Is this okay? Even if it is contained within the machine and not spewed out? What danger is there of the plant material coming out of the machine and contaminating the moon?






the-moon astrobiology chang-e ethics







share|improve this question









New contributor




jonvyltra is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












As far as I know, it isn't ethical to contaminate outer space with life from Earth, because then we will never be sure if life can actually grow there. However, I just read reports that the latest Chang'e-4 brings an entire ecosystem to the far side of the moon, with Arabidopsis plant seeds and even silkworms.



Is this okay? Even if it is contained within the machine and not spewed out? What danger is there of the plant material coming out of the machine and contaminating the moon?






the-moon astrobiology chang-e ethics




the-moon astrobiology chang-e ethics






share|improve this question









New contributor




jonvyltra is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









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jonvyltra is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




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edited 38 mins ago









PearsonArtPhoto♦

80.6k16230443




80.6k16230443






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asked 43 mins ago









jonvyltrajonvyltra

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Check out our Code of Conduct.













  • What system of ethics?

    – Organic Marble
    23 mins ago



















  • What system of ethics?

    – Organic Marble
    23 mins ago

















What system of ethics?

– Organic Marble
23 mins ago





What system of ethics?

– Organic Marble
23 mins ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

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4














Humans have already been to the Moon, and pretty much verified it is completely sterile. It isn't really an issue bringing plants to the Moon, it couldn't contaminate anything, as there is nothing there it could really affect. Besides, anything complex couldn't survive in a vacuum, and there's been plenty of bacteria that have been on the Moon from the Apollo missions to previous landers.






share|improve this answer































    2














    tl;dr: There are "96 bags of poop, pee, and puke" on the Moon already!



    The bags of waste are ecosystems for sure, but like the ones you mentioned, they are not going to remain alive for very long.



    enter image description here



    From Gizmodo's There's Poop on the Moon:




    There is, however, scientific value to the things left behind. Astrobiologists, for instance, hope to one day inspect that half-century-old feces to see if the crap has undergone any genetic mutations while in space. Even more mundane gear on the moon's surface offer a unique perspective on how different materials hold up in extreme environments like the moon, where temperatures oscillate between minus 370-degrees to 250-degrees Fahrenheit.



    What kinds of mundane gear, you wonder? Well, there's actually an entire website devoted to trash on the moon. However, here's a list of the more interesting and unusual items—aside from the 96 bags of poop, pee, and puke:




    • More than 70 spacecraft

    • 5 American flags, all of which are now white

    • 12 pairs of boots

    • An olive branch sculpture made of gold:

    • "Several improvised javelins"

    • Used wet wipes

    • Space food wrappers

    • 2 golf balls

    • This gold-plated telescope that was the first tool used to make astronomical observations from the surface of another planetary body:

    • A feather from Baggin, the official mascot of Air Force Academy

    • A patch from the doomed Apollo 1 mission that never launched

    • This silicon disc with goodwill messages from 73 world leaders:

    • 12 Hasselbad cameras

    • This photograph of Astronaut Charlie Duke's family from Apollo 16:

    • Not to be repetitive or anything: 96 bags of poop, pee, and puke













    share|improve this answer

























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      2 Answers
      2






      active

      oldest

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      2 Answers
      2






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes









      4














      Humans have already been to the Moon, and pretty much verified it is completely sterile. It isn't really an issue bringing plants to the Moon, it couldn't contaminate anything, as there is nothing there it could really affect. Besides, anything complex couldn't survive in a vacuum, and there's been plenty of bacteria that have been on the Moon from the Apollo missions to previous landers.






      share|improve this answer




























        4














        Humans have already been to the Moon, and pretty much verified it is completely sterile. It isn't really an issue bringing plants to the Moon, it couldn't contaminate anything, as there is nothing there it could really affect. Besides, anything complex couldn't survive in a vacuum, and there's been plenty of bacteria that have been on the Moon from the Apollo missions to previous landers.






        share|improve this answer


























          4












          4








          4







          Humans have already been to the Moon, and pretty much verified it is completely sterile. It isn't really an issue bringing plants to the Moon, it couldn't contaminate anything, as there is nothing there it could really affect. Besides, anything complex couldn't survive in a vacuum, and there's been plenty of bacteria that have been on the Moon from the Apollo missions to previous landers.






          share|improve this answer













          Humans have already been to the Moon, and pretty much verified it is completely sterile. It isn't really an issue bringing plants to the Moon, it couldn't contaminate anything, as there is nothing there it could really affect. Besides, anything complex couldn't survive in a vacuum, and there's been plenty of bacteria that have been on the Moon from the Apollo missions to previous landers.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 38 mins ago









          PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto

          80.6k16230443




          80.6k16230443























              2














              tl;dr: There are "96 bags of poop, pee, and puke" on the Moon already!



              The bags of waste are ecosystems for sure, but like the ones you mentioned, they are not going to remain alive for very long.



              enter image description here



              From Gizmodo's There's Poop on the Moon:




              There is, however, scientific value to the things left behind. Astrobiologists, for instance, hope to one day inspect that half-century-old feces to see if the crap has undergone any genetic mutations while in space. Even more mundane gear on the moon's surface offer a unique perspective on how different materials hold up in extreme environments like the moon, where temperatures oscillate between minus 370-degrees to 250-degrees Fahrenheit.



              What kinds of mundane gear, you wonder? Well, there's actually an entire website devoted to trash on the moon. However, here's a list of the more interesting and unusual items—aside from the 96 bags of poop, pee, and puke:




              • More than 70 spacecraft

              • 5 American flags, all of which are now white

              • 12 pairs of boots

              • An olive branch sculpture made of gold:

              • "Several improvised javelins"

              • Used wet wipes

              • Space food wrappers

              • 2 golf balls

              • This gold-plated telescope that was the first tool used to make astronomical observations from the surface of another planetary body:

              • A feather from Baggin, the official mascot of Air Force Academy

              • A patch from the doomed Apollo 1 mission that never launched

              • This silicon disc with goodwill messages from 73 world leaders:

              • 12 Hasselbad cameras

              • This photograph of Astronaut Charlie Duke's family from Apollo 16:

              • Not to be repetitive or anything: 96 bags of poop, pee, and puke













              share|improve this answer






























                2














                tl;dr: There are "96 bags of poop, pee, and puke" on the Moon already!



                The bags of waste are ecosystems for sure, but like the ones you mentioned, they are not going to remain alive for very long.



                enter image description here



                From Gizmodo's There's Poop on the Moon:




                There is, however, scientific value to the things left behind. Astrobiologists, for instance, hope to one day inspect that half-century-old feces to see if the crap has undergone any genetic mutations while in space. Even more mundane gear on the moon's surface offer a unique perspective on how different materials hold up in extreme environments like the moon, where temperatures oscillate between minus 370-degrees to 250-degrees Fahrenheit.



                What kinds of mundane gear, you wonder? Well, there's actually an entire website devoted to trash on the moon. However, here's a list of the more interesting and unusual items—aside from the 96 bags of poop, pee, and puke:




                • More than 70 spacecraft

                • 5 American flags, all of which are now white

                • 12 pairs of boots

                • An olive branch sculpture made of gold:

                • "Several improvised javelins"

                • Used wet wipes

                • Space food wrappers

                • 2 golf balls

                • This gold-plated telescope that was the first tool used to make astronomical observations from the surface of another planetary body:

                • A feather from Baggin, the official mascot of Air Force Academy

                • A patch from the doomed Apollo 1 mission that never launched

                • This silicon disc with goodwill messages from 73 world leaders:

                • 12 Hasselbad cameras

                • This photograph of Astronaut Charlie Duke's family from Apollo 16:

                • Not to be repetitive or anything: 96 bags of poop, pee, and puke













                share|improve this answer




























                  2












                  2








                  2







                  tl;dr: There are "96 bags of poop, pee, and puke" on the Moon already!



                  The bags of waste are ecosystems for sure, but like the ones you mentioned, they are not going to remain alive for very long.



                  enter image description here



                  From Gizmodo's There's Poop on the Moon:




                  There is, however, scientific value to the things left behind. Astrobiologists, for instance, hope to one day inspect that half-century-old feces to see if the crap has undergone any genetic mutations while in space. Even more mundane gear on the moon's surface offer a unique perspective on how different materials hold up in extreme environments like the moon, where temperatures oscillate between minus 370-degrees to 250-degrees Fahrenheit.



                  What kinds of mundane gear, you wonder? Well, there's actually an entire website devoted to trash on the moon. However, here's a list of the more interesting and unusual items—aside from the 96 bags of poop, pee, and puke:




                  • More than 70 spacecraft

                  • 5 American flags, all of which are now white

                  • 12 pairs of boots

                  • An olive branch sculpture made of gold:

                  • "Several improvised javelins"

                  • Used wet wipes

                  • Space food wrappers

                  • 2 golf balls

                  • This gold-plated telescope that was the first tool used to make astronomical observations from the surface of another planetary body:

                  • A feather from Baggin, the official mascot of Air Force Academy

                  • A patch from the doomed Apollo 1 mission that never launched

                  • This silicon disc with goodwill messages from 73 world leaders:

                  • 12 Hasselbad cameras

                  • This photograph of Astronaut Charlie Duke's family from Apollo 16:

                  • Not to be repetitive or anything: 96 bags of poop, pee, and puke













                  share|improve this answer















                  tl;dr: There are "96 bags of poop, pee, and puke" on the Moon already!



                  The bags of waste are ecosystems for sure, but like the ones you mentioned, they are not going to remain alive for very long.



                  enter image description here



                  From Gizmodo's There's Poop on the Moon:




                  There is, however, scientific value to the things left behind. Astrobiologists, for instance, hope to one day inspect that half-century-old feces to see if the crap has undergone any genetic mutations while in space. Even more mundane gear on the moon's surface offer a unique perspective on how different materials hold up in extreme environments like the moon, where temperatures oscillate between minus 370-degrees to 250-degrees Fahrenheit.



                  What kinds of mundane gear, you wonder? Well, there's actually an entire website devoted to trash on the moon. However, here's a list of the more interesting and unusual items—aside from the 96 bags of poop, pee, and puke:




                  • More than 70 spacecraft

                  • 5 American flags, all of which are now white

                  • 12 pairs of boots

                  • An olive branch sculpture made of gold:

                  • "Several improvised javelins"

                  • Used wet wipes

                  • Space food wrappers

                  • 2 golf balls

                  • This gold-plated telescope that was the first tool used to make astronomical observations from the surface of another planetary body:

                  • A feather from Baggin, the official mascot of Air Force Academy

                  • A patch from the doomed Apollo 1 mission that never launched

                  • This silicon disc with goodwill messages from 73 world leaders:

                  • 12 Hasselbad cameras

                  • This photograph of Astronaut Charlie Duke's family from Apollo 16:

                  • Not to be repetitive or anything: 96 bags of poop, pee, and puke






















                  share|improve this answer














                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer








                  edited 15 mins ago

























                  answered 22 mins ago









                  uhohuhoh

                  35.2k18123440




                  35.2k18123440






















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