Quantum computing has provided new insights into a fundamental aspect of photochemical reactions that has previously proven difficult to study. The findings could improve scientists’ understanding of light-driven processes such as photosynthesis, smog formation and ozone destruction.

Photochemical processes occur when atomic nuclei and their electrons take on different configurations after absorbing a photon. Some of these reactions are guided by a quantum phenomenon called a conical intersection, where the potential energy surfaces that describe a molecule in its ground state and in its excited state converge. In these situations, quantum mechanical interference can prevent certain molecular transformations from taking place – a constraint known as a geometric phase. This limits the path that the reaction can take and affects the reaction outcome. The geometric phase has been known about since the 1950s, but due to the femtosecond timescales involved, it has never been directly observed in a molecular system.

Scientists at the University of Sydney have, for the first time, used a quantum computer to engineer and directly observe a process critical in chemical reactions by slowing it down by a factor of 100 billion times.

Joint lead researcher and Ph.D. student, Vanessa Olaya Agudelo, said, It is by understanding these basic processes inside and between molecules that we can open up a new world of possibilities in materials science, drug design, or solar energy harvesting.

It could also help improve other processes that rely on molecules interacting with light, such as how smog is created or how the ozone layer is damaged.

As sci-fi fans will attest, scenes of the distant future aren’t too difficult to imagine. We’ve got fleets of intergalactic ships exploring the inscrutable vastness of space. We’ve got legions of hardy settlers terraforming strange, new worlds. There’s a great galactic chain of humanity forged through will, knowledge, and intellect stretching across the Milky Way and beyond. At least, that’s one version. Some would describe a brutal, militaristic future for humanity, or one of disembodied consciousnesses and networks of planet-spanning artificial intelligence. But in each version, there’s one crucial element that humanity can’t do without: energy.

Energy is such a fundamental, critical component to civilization — off-world or not — that Soviet astronomer Nikolai Kardashev in 1964 labeled spacefaring civilizations based on how much energy they consumed; the higher the ranking, the more advanced, as Space.com explains. We’re talking far, far beyond crude fuel like oil and coal. Earth isn’t even a Type I civilization because we haven’t harnessed all the energy available on our own planet. By contrast, a Type II civilization would be able to build an energy-harnessing structure like a Dyson sphere around its own sun, as described in Popular Mechanics. After all, all those intergalactic ships, stations, settlements, etc., need power from somewhere, same as they need materials.

So what if there was some nigh-infinite, nigh-magical source of energy that permeated the entire universe? What if it could be tapped at will, from anywhere at any time? That’s zero-point energy in a nutshell.

Year 2023 face_with_colon_three

If humanity is ever to consider substantial, long-term colonization of Mars, the resources needed are going to be extensive. For a long-term human presence on Mars to be established, serious thought would need to be given to terraforming the planet. One major requirement for such terraforming is having the protection of a planetary magnetic field — which Mars currently does not have. The Earth’s magnetosphere helps protect the planet from the potential sterilizing effects of cosmic rays and also helps retain the atmosphere, which would otherwise by stripped by large solar storms as they pass over the planet. Mars does have small patches of remnant surface magnetic field, but these are localized in the southern hemisphere and are not of sufficient size or magnitude to protect the planet or a colony.

In this article we explore comprehensively for the first time, the practical and engineering challenges that affect the feasibility of creating an artificial magnetic field capable of encompassing Mars. This includes the concerns that define the design, where to locate the magnetic field generator and possible construction strategies. The rationale here is not to justify the need for a planetary magnetosphere but to put figures on the practicalities so as to be able to weigh the pros and cons of the different engineering approaches.

The optimum solution proposed is completely novel, although inspired by natural situations and fusion plasma techniques. The solution with the lowest power, assembly and mass is to create an artificial charged particle ring (similar in form to a ‘radiation belt’), around the planet possibly formed by ejecting matter from one of the moons of Mars (in a fashion similar to that which forms the Jupiter-Io plasma torus), but using electromagnetic and plasma waves to drive a net current in the ring(s) that results in an overall magnetic field.

40 SpaceX Starships are terraforming Mars. Slowly transforming the Martian atmosphere, water begins to flow on the surface. Building the foundation for long term Mars colonization.

Going beyond the ‘First 10,000 Days on Mars’ and 2050, this is a timelapse look into the future.

Humans are surviving on Mars underground, in a crater habitat. A deep crater is enclosed, creating a mini Earth that is open and breathable. Tunnel diggers dig into the sides of the crater, creating more space and connecting other craters, landing pads, and lava tubes to form an underground Mars colony network… In part, inspired by: Mars garden quote: The Expanse — Chrisjen Avasarala Living on Mars — TED Talk by Stephen Petranek • https://youtu.be/t9c7aheZxls Andy Weir (The Martian) — Conversations With Joe • https://youtu.be/4dgwnhFf_6Y — Building on Mars — Articles Join the newsletter to read my new articles about “Building on Mars.” Or you can view them at my website: www.vx-c.com. • From Dust to Structures: How to Create Concrete and Metal on Mars • The (Not So) Simple Act of Building on Mars: The Engineering Challenges of Constructing on the Red Planet — A terraforming sci-fi documentary, and a timelapse look into the future of Mars colonization. — Book recommendations from Elon Musk on artificial intelligence, Mars, future technology and innovations, and sci-fi stories (affiliate links): • Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies https://amzn.to/3j28WkP • Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence https://amzn.to/3790bU1 • Our Final Invention: Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era https://amzn.to/351t9Ta • The Foundation: https://amzn.to/3i753dU • The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: https://amzn.to/3kNFSyW — Other videos to watch: • TIMELAPSE OF FUTURE SPACECRAFT: 2025 — 3000+ https://youtu.be/RL74Jb4OU9U • NASA 1958 — 2100 (Timelapse of past & future technology) https://youtu.be/2qaDEt7PCMI • MOON BASE — THE FIRST 10,000 DAYS (Timelapse) https://youtu.be/XOhz7ZBZ_1U …

In part, inspired by:
Mars garden quote: The Expanse — Chrisjen Avasarala.

Living on Mars — TED Talk by Stephen Petranek.
• https://youtu.be/t9c7aheZxls.

Andy Weir (The Martian) — Conversations With Joe.
• https://youtu.be/4dgwnhFf_6Y

Go ‘beyond the nutshell’ at https://brilliant.org/nutshell by diving deeper into these topics and more with 20% off an annual subscription!
This video was sponsored by Brilliant. Thanks a lot for the support!

Sources & further reading:
https://sites.google.com/view/sources-mars-terraforming.

Mars is a disappointing hellhole lacking practically everything we need to stay alive. It looks like we’ll only ever have small crews spend a miserable time hidden underground. Except, we could terraform it into a green new world. But to solve the planet’s problems, we first need to make it worse and turn it into oceans of lava with gigantic lasers.

This video was animated with help from our friends at Thought Cafe. Check out their Video “Could We Live on Mars?” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQqHDEYpIvI

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NASA’s Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s largest moon will touch down on a terrain of dunes and shattered, icy bedrock, according to a new analysis of radar imagery from the Cassini spacecraft.

Launching in 2027, Dragonfly is a rotorcraft that will arrive in 2034 and explore Titan from the air. Its range will be far greater than that of a wheeled rover, with Dragonfly capable of covering around 10 miles (16 kilometers) in each half-hour flight, according to NASA. Over the span of its two-year mission it will explore an area hundreds of miles or kilometers across. However, before taking to the sky on its own, Dragonfly must first arrive on Titan under a parachute, soft-landing on frozen terrain that is hidden from easy viewing by the dense hydrocarbon smog that fills the moon’s atmosphere.

Circa 2021

A new study says that we could terraform Mars by creating an artificial magnetic field around it to prevent harmful solar radiation.

A look at advanced means of altering or controlling the planet’s climate and geography, drawing on concepts proposed for terraforming other planets. We look at existing and proposed ideas of controlling the weather, creating artificial islands or mountain ranges, using orbital mirrors and shades, and many other concepts.

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We believe Mars may once have had oceans and sky, but lost them from a lack of a magnetosphere. How does this happen, and how can we create a magnetosphere for Mars so we can terraform and live on it?

International Space Development Conference Registration: https://isdc2022.nss.org.
Martian Magnetosphere paper by R.A. Bamford: https://arxiv.org/abs/2111.06887
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Listen or Download the audio of this episode from Soundcloud: Episode’s Audio-only version: https://soundcloud.com/isaac-arthur-148927746/making-a-magnetosphere-for-mars.
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Credits:
Making a Magnetosphere for Mars.
Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur.
Episode 342, May 12, 2022
Written, Produced & Narrated by Isaac Arthur.

Editors:
David McFarlane.

Cover Art:
Jakub Grygier https://www.artstation.com/jakub_grygier.