The quest to live on the moon began centuries ago even before the first historic to the moon in 1969. While most government-owned and commercial agencies are working towards building a lunar colony, a Texas-based space company named Celestis has a different lunar exploration goal.
The firm has been placing cremated remains of humans into orbit since the last century. Celestis launched its first cremated remains in 1997 when it launched the remains of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and physicist Gerard O’Neill, the legend behind the space habitat design popularly known as the O’Neill Cylinder, into orbit.
Celestis has attracted many customers with different motivations to have their remains shot into space after they pass away. The New York Times recently interviewed seven customers of Celestis. Physics professor Kenneth Ohm is one of these seven customers.
The 86-year-old professor revealed his unique reasons for having his DNA alongside his cremated ashes delivered to the Moon’s south pole during a future Celestis mission.
Ohm said that he strongly believes that future civilization could potentially open an “intergalactic zoo with a Ken Ohm in a cage,” per the report, or even a “swarm of thousands of reconstituted Ken Ohms spreading across the universe.”
“I’m living with the uncertainty,” he told the New York Times.
Some scientists suggest that Ohm’s ideas came from an episode of “Rick and Morty.”
What Scientists Think About Ohm’s Idea of sendin his DNA to the Moon
Scientists also revealed that the idea of safekeeping DNA samples for future civilizations, whether terrestrial or extraterrestrial sounds quite impressive. Currently, researchers have discovered ways to clone animals using their DNA.
Ohms believes that future civilization may get to the level of cloning humans using our DNA in the distant future. Other Celestis customers interviewed by the New York Times revealed different goals for shooting their remains into orbit.
Another customer who participated in the interview was NYC firefighter Daniel Conlisk. He told the newspaper that he wants his remains sent into space alongside his wife, who’s suffering from cancer. Another customer, Aerospace engineer Jeffrey Woytach revealed that he wants some of his ashes to reach the lunar surface.
“The Celestis memorial capsules carrying cremated remains and DNA will remain on the lunar surface as a permanent tribute to the intrepid souls who never stopped reaching for the stars,” the company wrote on its website.
Conclusion
Physics professor Kenneth Ohm is one of these seven customers. The 86-year-old professor revealed his unique reasons for having his DNA alongside his cremated ashes delivered to the Moon’s south pole during a future Celestis mission. What do you think about this?
