/sci/ - Science & Math

>>3772801

>No matter how popular underwater habitats become, they will never be cheaper than land-based dwellings.

I know, I already said that here: >>3772769

>He must also have some other sort of income, wealth, or support. Otherwise, there's no way he can whimsically waste such large amounts of money and time on a recreational project.

It isn't a waste. People sometimes plan ambitious things like this and save money for it. $35,000 is not an amount that is impossible to save up for someone of ordinary means.

>You're the one who's projecting. Most people DON'T want to live underwater.

I agree. Most don't. But I don't think most people will ever live underwater. Did you assume otherwise?

It is a niche interest and perhaps a few hundred total will live as permanent residents of the sea at any given time. Nonetheless it will occur, people will live in the ocean, and I intend to be among them.

http://www.synchtube.com/r/madscientist

>>You and anyone else with the patience and determination to build a habitat or the income to rent an apartment aboard a colony can be a seafloor pioneer, claiming your homestead on mankind's rich new frontier.

:)

>>3215495

>>You won't be able build off-land habitats for millions. Neither in the sea nor in space.

Yes, you can. A modest one that houses 4 families (initially) is being built for around 4.5 million, and it's expandable.

>>3215443

There is plentiful space on the surface. But not much of it is livable, and nearly all of it costs money. Counterintuitive as it may seem, a modest colony on the continental shelf would cost considerably less than Vegas, mostly because the bulk of the cost of constructing vegas was in the pipelines needed to get water and gas to it out in the middle of the desert. In the ocean land is free, food is free, power is free and you're surrounded by both fresh drinking water and oxygen provided you have a source of power for splitting both out of sea water.

Cities in the sea.

>>2323739

>>we should focus our efforts on colonizing and exploiting the ocean.

We've reached the point where the necessary technologies have fallen in price and become universally available such that a private organization has the means to set up a sea floor community. Which is what the Atlantica Expeditions is doing:

http://www.underseacolony.com/

>>2292911

>>Fuck yeah, real life Rapture!

It's happening.

http://www.underseacolony.com/

They'll sell 2 or 4 man colony modules to anyone with the money though, and at $35,000 for the base 2 man unit, this is something a well funded research group could actually do.

Watch this for the background info: http://www.motherboard.tv/2010/3/10/the-aquatic-life-of-dennis-chamberland-one-man-s-quest-to-coloni
ze-the-sea

I've seen lots of entertaining threads on /sci/ about what sort of country we'd set up if we had the money for an island (or part of one) and the resources/organization to set up a society there.

But what about the sea? Chamberland's civilian colony begins construction in 2014 following the module tests in 2012. Anyone can buy a module for $35,000 (base price for 2 man unit). The method of government would invariably be set by whatever the majority of colonists demanded. Since those willing and able to live undersea constitute a small percentage of any first world nation to begin with, if we all determined to save up for a module and join the main colony in 2014 we'd be the overwhelming majority. Our views would take precedence as a result.

It's more feasible to have a small, discrete nation in or on the water due to the isolation as demonstrated by the "Sea Land" micronation. Atlantica colony will be vastly larger (which isn't saying much) and eventually self sufficient. If we coordinate a frontier rush so that the majority of founding colonists are of the technocratic mindset, it could be the start of a historically unique state, cut off from outside influences that might conspire to strangle it in the crib.

>>2204424

He plans to mass produce them and sell them for recreational use to bring down the cost. However they can also be connected to the colony as permanent residences, as they use the standard docking interface.

They are, in other words, the minimum price of entry if you want to join the colony. Probably best for single men or couples.

The Atlantica undersea colony project...

I think we can't consider colonization of space realistic until the colonization of the sea has begun. It involves the same technologies but it's cheaper by far and offers more immediate benefits.

That's not to say it's preferable, only that all colonization efforts follow the past of least economic resistance; if the technology for colonizing the sea isn't here yet, then the technology for colonizing space is even further off.

Now, I say this with the knowledge that the first civilian undersea colony is in the works. But it is the first, only two modules are ready, and it won't be open to the public until 2014. I will remain skeptical. If it's a success, that will be a good sign that space colonization is closer than ever.

Man, these threads are so hit and miss. Some days they get hundreds of posts, and others, almost none. Could be the fact that it's 5:30am in the states.

And I'm up for mankind's inevitable future in space I really am. But what happens when we find habitable planets? They'll have oceans, no? And by then we'll be accustomed to a standard of living that can be sustained only by sustainable exploitation of it's oceans. That'll necessitate habitat and sub technology designed here.

The thing is, that future is happening. For seafags. We don't have to dream about lunar or martian colonies. Actual seafloor colonies are being built. >>2012603 This is the guy doing it. And any ordinary person can, having saved a few years, afford a sleek sexy minisub, while you'll have to wait a couple of generations at least for a personal spaceship to come on the market.

It's everything most of us want, but sooner, cheaper and in most ways better.

>>1751252

>>We're wanking over the future we'll never get to have again, aren't we?

Not this time.

http://www.underseacolony.com/

The first civilian undersea colony begins construction in 2011.

Also, you can see from other posts that undersea resorts/hotels do exist throughout the world.

The first civilian sea floor colony will begin construction in 2011 with the sinking and mating of two modular living pods. The man responsible is an ex-NASA engineer with a shitload of corporate sponsors who benefit from his Scuba and hydroponics related patents. So far he's built those two modules, he's got a submarine that doubles as a habitat for on-site laborers, and two support vessels. A third 'hub' is in the works, to which many standardized living modules can be attached.

His intention seems to be to continue building and adding modules till the funding dries up, then exploit local resources to cover operating costs. This includes farming approved species of fish which can't survive at surface pressures, renting out a module to NASA for deep sea analogue training, Tourism, aquaculture, etc.

Anyone can apply for residence provided they are married and have kids. It's "families only".