Mary-Jane Rubenstein

In a riveting discussion, Mary-Jane Rubenstein, a Professor of religion and science, and Frederick Sharman, an architect and researcher, unravel the legacy of Gerard O'Neill's vision of space colonies. They explore how O'Neill's ideas could potentially address Earth's environmental crises through space-based solar power, while also critiquing the colonial and religious underpinnings in modern space rhetoric. Rubenstein highlights the troubling connections between capitalism and space expansion, urging for alternative narratives to guide our futures beyond expansionist myths.

Frederick Sharman, an architect and researcher focused on space habitats, and Mary-Jane Rubenstein, a professor and author of 'Astrotopia', dive into Gerard O’Neill’s vision for space colonies. They discuss how O’Neill's ideas, initially seen as radical, resurface in today’s climate crisis narrative. The conversation highlights the colonial language of early space proponents and critiques the corporatization of space, questioning whether looking to the stars truly provides solutions for Earth’s pressing ecological issues.