New Books Network Dagomar Degroot, "Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean: An Environmental History of Our Place in the Solar System" (Harvard UP, 2025)
Jan 13, 2026
Dagomar Degroot, an Associate Professor of Environmental History at Georgetown University, reveals how cosmic events influence Earth. He discusses the links between planetary environments and human history, such as how Martian dust storms impacted the Cold War. Degroot explores ethical questions around altering other worlds, back-contamination risks from Apollo missions, and the threats of asteroids. He advocates for democratic governance in managing cosmic risks and highlights the lessons Earth can learn from Venus’s climate trajectory.
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Solar System Shapes Human History
- The solar system's dynamic events have shaped human history and our understanding of existential risk.
- Humans now can alter lunar and planetary environments, marking a profound species-level threshold.
Off‑World To Protect Earth
- Use off-world resources and infrastructure to reduce Earth's environmental burden when feasible.
- Prioritize projects that shift damaging activities off Earth, like power generation or heavy mining.
Earth Microbes Can Alter Other Worlds
- Sending spacecraft risks forward contamination of other worlds with Earth microbes.
- Sterilization protocols exist but cannot guarantee prevention of long-term planetary alterations.
