The Terraforming Compendium - From Barren Rocks to Living Worlds

Could we sculpt dead planets into living worlds? From artificial crusts and orbital mirrors to taming tectonics and engineering biospheres, this is your definitive guide to turning alien rocks into second Earths.

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Credits:
Interstellar Travel: Can We Survive The Long Journey?
Episode 725; June 15, 2025
Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac Arthur
Graphics:
Jarred Eagley
Jeremy Jozwik
Ken York YD Visual
Mafic Studios
Sergio Botero
Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images
Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator
Chris Zabriskie, "Unfoldment, Revealment", "A New Day in a New Sector", "Oxygen Garden", "Wonder Cycle"
Kai Engel, "Endless Story About Sun and Moon"
Taras Harkavyi, "Alpha and..."
Dark Future, "Staring Through" pt1
Miguel Johnson. "The Commanders", "Far From Home"
Lombus, "Hydrogen Sonata", "Cosmic Soup"
Aerium, "Deijocht"
Stellardrone, "Red Giant", "Solar Eclipse", "Billions and Billions"

Chapters
0:00 Intro
5:33 What is Terraforming?
8:27 Terraforming vs Para-Terraforming
11:54 Planets vs Megastructures
14:05 Terraforming vs Bioforming
17:14 The Inevitable Hybrid Approach
20:59 Ethics & Debate: Preservation vs. Transformation
22:42 Terraforming as a Civilization-Scale Endeavor
23:46 Terraforming Technologies & Techniques
24:42 Artificial Gravity Solutions
27:58 Atmospheric Manipulation
31:25 Bioforming & Genetic Engineering
34:06 Comet & Asteroid Bombardment
39:43 Domes & Worldhouses
43:24 Geoengineering & Climate Control
47:05 Hydrospheric Engineering
49:58 Magnetosphere Generation
53:35 Fishbowl Starships
55:02 Mass & Orbital Adjustments
1:00:17 Mega-Mirrors & Solar Shades
1:04:30 Oxygenation & Soil Processing
1:07:39 Planetary Shells & Artificial Crusts
1:10:37 Terraforming Nanotechnology
1:14:04 Tidal & Seismic Stabilization
1:18:45 From Theory to Practice: Adapting Terraforming to Specific Worlds
1:20:27 Extreme Radiation Levels
1:23:57 Frequent Asteroid & Meteor Impacts
1:27:41 High Gravity
1:30:29 Highly Eccentric Orbits
1:34:46 Hostile Native Life
1:38:25 Intense Volcanism
1:40:55 Long or Erratic Day/Night Cycles
1:51:09 Low Light Levels
1:52:57 No Air
1:54:25 No Magnetosphere
1:56:17 No Seasons
1:58:13 No Water
2:00:48 Short or Long Years & Seasons
2:02:05 Tidally Locked
2:03:32 Tidally Wracked
2:04:36 Too Cold
2:05:36 Too Hot
2:06:21 Too Much Air
2:07:05 Too Much Ocean
2:08:44 Too Much Solar Wind
2:11:13 Toxic or Corrosive Atmosphere or Surface
2:14:09 Unstable Tectonics
2:15:10 Wrong Air Composition
2:16:21 Final Thoughts