OUT OF THIS WORLD AND INTO THE NEXT: NOTES FROM A PHYSICIST ON SPACE EXPLORATION

For the first time in four billion years of life on Earth we are preparing to step out among the stars not just as lone astronauts or billionaire tech bros but as a civilization.Dr Adriana Marais has dedicated her life to preparing form extraplanetary settlement and here she considers not just the scientific concerns of a multiplanetary existence (like terraforming and life-support systems) but also the ethical responsibilities we must carry with us as we explore new frontiers. In this extraordinary era of rapid technological development Marais explores the fundamental questions at the heart of human endeavour: How did we get here - and where are we going next?