Report from the Workshop on Animals, Space, and Long-Term Well-Being (18 June 2024)

The Mimir Center organized a Work in Progress Workshop on Animals, Space, and Long-Term Well-Being on the 18th of June at the Institute for Futures Studies in Stockholm, bringing together experts within different fields including astrobiology, philosophy, and biology. Presenting were Asher Soryl, Julia Mosquera and Karim Jebari, Gary O’Brien, and Bruce Tsai.

Discussions revolved around questions such as whether human space exploration would lead to the accidental spread of sentient life to other planets (e.g. through bacterial leakage) and what the ethical implications of such consequences would be. Other questions discussed were whether we should deliberately try to spread life to other planets, a concept known as directed panspermia, whether our descendants should one day have the ability to create biospheres and organisms on other planets, and the values that they should consider when doing so.

The purpose of the workshop was to come together to present new ideas with a heavy focus on group discussion and feedback. This aim was very much achieved — the workshop served as a useful forum for in-depth discussions and meaningful exchange of ideas for future research collaboration.

The workshop was organized by Julia Mosquera and Julia Adler.

Gary O’Brien presented at the workshop