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0 pointsrbanffy2y ago0 comments

> replace them with screens that show a non-rotating view of the outside for a similar effect without the safety and nausea cost

What’s the point of travelling without windows?

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6 comments · 2 top-level

m4rtink2y ago· 2 in thread

Thats kinda the default when traveling underwater or in space - most of the time there is nothing interesting visible, yet the outside medium can easily kill you and windows help with that.

You can have some observation sections, but regular windows everywhere don't make sense in this case.

rbanffyOP2y ago

> most of the time there is nothing interesting visible

The stars, the planets... At least on spaceships.

As for submarines, I have to agree. Windows are mostly pointless.

m4rtink2y ago

Sure, but the stars will always be the same (baring some very drastic propulsion improvements) & even during regular inter-planetary transits your origin planet will become a star quite quickly as you get on your way & you will see the same starts +1 for the next months/years the trip takes until just before you arrive, when one of the stars suddenly turns in a the world that is your destination.

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lucubratory2y ago· 2 in thread

Off the top of my head, a list of reasons why humans should go to space that are not obviated by a lack of floor to ceiling windows throughout a ship or habitat (only the window specific ones are a direct response to you, this is otherwise just a direct answer to "Why space?" as a general question):

- to go where no one has gone before and see what no one else has seen

- to watch the development of a storm cell on Jupiter in real time

- because screens relaying a real time feed aren't really "less real" than windows which inherently have to filter out various wavelengths for basic safety

- because travelling with a ship covered in windows in space is suicidal, which in my opinion tends to dull the point of anything

- because studying the effects of various levels of artificial gravity on humans has inherent scientific value

- because cupolas like those on the ISS are easy enough to make safe without needing to fatally compromise the safety of your habitat with windows everywhere

- because real time control and maintenance of scientific equipment significantly improves the scientific productivity you can achieve with that equipment, and enables new experiments

- because humanity and intelligent life is not meant to occupy 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000003% of the universe forever, and our cradle being special and worth preserving doesn't mean we should never leave the cradle

- because extant human society already wastes the talents of billions of current and future people confined by poverty into being unable to fulfill their potential, and confining humanity to an infinitesimally small portion of the universe forever is bad for similar reasons

- because even intelligent ocean dwellers could not have predicted fire when considering the leap to landborne life, and likewise we can't really know what will become possible once we get to space

- because a gamma ray burst that happened 100,000 years ago could be travelling to Earth right now, ready to largely wipe out life once it arrives

- because humans are good, and more humans that have better lives is preferable to fewer with worse lives

- because there are so many resources in space that development of them could render some useful and valuable materials as cheap as water, or lead to entirely new use cases for previously scarce materials

- because children and adults alike have always looked up at the stars and dreamed of going there, and crushing dreams of hope is cynical and selfish

- because it tests and focuses our science and industry on an endeavour that leads to myriad non-space economic and cultural benefits, without the downsides of trying to kill each other in ever more horrific ways while mobilising for wars

- because the hopelessness and cynicism felt by many globally that leads to the rejection of space is an injury inflicted upon us by conditions we have to fight to overcome, not a natural state we should give in to

- because Musk & Bezos already control way too much of society, and the idea that we should abandon 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999997% of the universe to them without even struggling for it is cowardly

- because wanting to explore and share and create and leave wonder for our children is good

- because I am saddened thinking of the past 50 years of stagnation in achieving truly great human endeavours in space, and I wonder why the people who led in those times failed so badly and whether the previous generations let them get away with it or simply found themselves unable to do anything. I don't want my grandchildren to wonder that about my generation.

- because humans going to space on a large scale is realistic and achievable with appropriate safety precautions and scientific/industrial advances, which we can choose to make

- because I have hope for the future and I'm not going to give that up

rbanffyOP2y ago

Still, no screen will ever be as good as a window. At least for visible wavelengths at human-perceptible intensities. It's fundamental - you are there - the photons that bounced off the clouds below are the ones hitting your retinas.

I know that my eyes would perceive some spectacular things we see in the sky as dull, because they aren't as sensible as my telescope's camera, and aren't able to concentrate that much light on my retina as the telescope can.

And, yet, one can sit back in a darkened observation deck and wonder at the Milky Way rotating above.

If someone is too concerned about motion sickness, then build a bigger ring that rotates slowly.

m4rtink2y ago

Perfect summary, thanks a lot! :)

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