Proxima B

The nearest habitable world beyond our Solar System might be right on our doorstep - astronomically speaking. Scientists say their investigations of the closest star, Proxima Centauri, show it to have an Earth-sized planet orbiting about it. What is more, this rocky globe is moving in a zone that would make liquid water on its surface a possibility. Proxima is 40 trillion km away and would take a spacecraft using current technology thousands of years to reach.

Earlier this year, the billionaire venture capitalist Yuri Milner said he was investing $100m in studies to develop nano spacecraft that could be propelled across the galaxy by lasers. These would travel at perhaps 20% of the speed of light, shortening the journey to a star like Proxima Centauri to mere decades.

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Proxima B


Science has enabled us to store ourselves in nanoscopic form and beam ourselves across the universe. You have been stored in a nano-quantum state and will awaken fully formed on Proxima B in 200 years. You will then start creating a flourishing civilisation on this beautiful and hospitable planet. But do you even want to form a civilisation, considering how that's turned out here on Earth?


Guidelines for a new civilization.

What form will money take? Who controls the economy? How does it work?

What type of government is best?

Will you have a military?

What will kids learn in school?

Is religion okay?

Are you going to send criminals to jail?

How much freedom of expression will you allow?

what is a good ethos for a society? 
Freedom, openness, tolerance, love, adventure, fairness, hard work, excellence?

Is it necessary for societies to have shared ideals?

What would your cities look like?

Finally, can you come up with a better name than Proxima B for your new home planet?