What are Terraforming economies doing with all that gold?

[markgritter]

Terraforming economies aren't good trade route endpoints because they tend not to produce anything (except reliable Biowaste!) All of them I've seen so far are listed as importing Gold and Silver (sometimes Platinum too.) Many of them are rich and have high demand for other luxury goods, hardly the rough existence you'd expect on the frontier. They also take industrial raw materials like semiconductors and superconductors, sometimes refined metals.

So, the terraforming use of atmospheric processors and land enrichment systems are obvious. And I guess only a rich society could attempt to convert a planet (although how did they get rich?) But what the heck are they doing with all that precious metal? Silver-plating the mountains? Increasing the albedo of the planet by scattering gold dust? And what are the superconductors for?

I would expect that while high-tech solutions like engineered bacteria and large machine installations have their place, the beginning of a terraforming project would also involve adjusting the composition of the planet by crashing a few comets into it! Wouldn't that be an awesome mission? "Go find a water-rich comet and adjust its orbit." "Our microbes need more selenium, can you crash an appropriate asteroid into the planet?" Unfortunately, the universe of E seems to lack Oort clouds and comets.

 

[The Law]

They just like to stare at huge piles of gold. So much glitter.

 

[markgritter]

They just like to stare at huge piles of gold. So much glitter.

Well, if they pile up *enough* of it, that could cause an increase in the planet's gravity.

 

[Titus Balls]

More than likely they are being used as catalysts in organic chemistry reactions

http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/chemistry/chemical-synthesis/technology-spotlights/gold-rush.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platinum#Catalyst

 

[Rhonda]

...terraforming project would also involve adjusting the composition of the planet by crashing a few comets into it! Wouldn't that be an awesome mission? "Go find a water-rich comet and adjust its orbit." "Our microbes need more selenium, can you crash an appropriate asteroid into the planet?" Unfortunately, the universe of E seems to lack Oort clouds and comets.

While I love the idea to introduce missions that involve celestial bodies (right now, they are more an obstacle than an interactable), don't forget that most planets that are in the process of terraforming are already inhabited. I'm not sure if dropping a giant dirtball on them would accelerate the process.

 

[markgritter]

While I love the idea to introduce missions that involve celestial bodies (right now, they are more an obstacle than an interactable), don't forget that most planets that are in the process of terraforming are already inhabited. I'm not sure if dropping a giant dirtball on them would accelerate the process.

Eh, if you get the size and angle right it would just break apart in the atmosphere. They'll see it coming.

Get it wrong and you could get put on the Galaxy's most-wanted list and give the bounty hunters something worthwhile to pursue.