[Mobius]

No offense, but you have to explain me why Cyanobacteria and Plantae are among the Algae's excluded groups. Being known with the name "blue-green algae" doesn't imply that they're algae. Names can be confusing.

Also:

Though the prokaryotic Cyanobacteria (commonly referred to as blue-green algae) were traditionally included as "algae" in older textbooks, many modern sources regard this as outdated as they are now considered to be closely related to bacteria. The term algae is now restricted to eukaryotic organisms. All true algae therefore have a nucleus enclosed within a membrane and plastids bound in one or more membranes.

This kind of reminds me the "Dimetrodon is not a dinosaur!" thingie...

[General Battuta]

They are blue-green algae and therefore can be colloquially referred to as 'algae'. Further discussion will get a threadsplit.

In fact I think one is in order now.

[The E]

Also a request - Could we converse of Inferno on Inferno board?

Seconded.

[Mobius]

They are blue-green algae and therefore can be colloquially referred to as 'algae'. Further discussion will get a threadsplit.

In fact I think one is in order now.

Can you please send me the source via PM? I'm interested on the subject.

No. Neither we or the GTA could possibly simply ship enough gases (or other materials) to form an entire atmosphere on Mars, much less larger planets. Even with subspace jumps shortening the duration of the traveling, it would still take a lot of reactor fuel, and the volume of transferred gases would still be insufficient due to limited number of ships available.

Planets are [REDACTED] HUGE.

Even the ability to produce a magnetic field of planetary scale is a stretch scientifically, but necessary for the story, as it makes it possible to produce an atmosphere on-site over long period of time. Thankfully, Mars already has a large supply of water, so that's less of an issue.

Perhaps shipping gases was necessary at the very beginning, before the mass proliferation of algae. I would say the scientists' main goal was to gain complete autonomy as soon as possible to prevent an economical disaster from occurring.

One question: would ionized atoms or even isotopes have a weight that would keep them close to Mars' soil? In other words, is the creation of an artificial magnetic field necessary to preserve the (equally) artificial atmosphere of Mars?

Also a request - Could we converse of Inferno on Inferno board?

Seconded.

I see no harm in mentioning the analogies and discussing them, as it can help both BP and INF. If that poses a problem, however, I don't see why it shouldn't be done.

[General Battuta]

The magnetic field is of paramount importantance to shield Martian colonists from solar radiation. The magnetic field will also help retain water vapor in the atmosphere, however.

If you want to help Inferno, reconsider your bit of fluff about the Martians using a lot of Prometheus cannons. You can get more argon from Earth's atmosphere than Mars', as Herra Tohtori pointed out.

[Ravenholme]

Yeah, cyanobacteria are a pain. We just classify them under the phytoplankton generally and let the scientists who actually specialise in the ocean primary production species sort it out. (Which they haven't managed to yet)

Still, a very nice terraforming write up. I'm not sure over your usage of algae, I think phytoplankton (as a blanket term) would have been more appropriate, but that really is quibbling - it just makes a little more sense (to me) given the degree of the earth's primary production that the Planktonic species perform, and what that would mean in terraforming mileage as well.

But yes, I would suggest plankton as an additional term if you're going the aquatic route, since the more complex algaes would take a while to form in the steads of their smaller, drifting cousins. (Especially as most algae utilise the planktonic system to reproduce and spread their sporophytes/offspring)

[Mobius]

Francesco,

Good to hear from you again.

Cyanobacteria are bacteria that are somewhat like algae in the sense that both cyanobacteria and algae use the same kind of metabolic system for photosynthesis. In the past, cyanobacteria were confused with algae. An old name for cyanobacteria is blue-green algae. But the cell structure of cyanobacteria is bacterial, and cyanobacteria are certainly not algae. They are bacteria. Any modern microbiology or biology textbook will make this clear.

Very best wishes,
Robert

[General Battuta]

Good to hear, although nothing new to any of us. Hopefully you are also clear on the fact that blue-green algae, i.e. cyanobacteria, can and will be colloquially referred to as algae.

If you need any further clarification let me know.