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[wierd]

Laser is inefficient. Granted, the heat evolved from the inefficiency would serve as a kind of radiative pressure, but that is still inefficient; that energy can be used much more efficiently.

Many asteroids are metallic in composition. If we narrow our scope to just this kind, and ignore chondrite asteroids totally, then we have a better thing we can do.

We can land the craft on the asteroid allright- part of the lander is a large inducting "tube", with an inductive heating element on the end. High voltage alternating current is run through this, which causes magnetic hysteresis in the metallic surface of the asteroid, heating it up (and heating it very efficiently), until a chunk can be pulled up off the surface magnetically. It his then accelerated up and out the tube like a railgun.

Ka-CHUNK-- large hunk of reaction mass lifted off the asteroid and in a know vector, using nuclear energy.

[scriver]

If star wars taught me anything it is that it would be immoral to nuke asteroids if it might kill the random space worms that might be living within.

[Eric Blank]

I have to agree with that sentiment. You could unknowingly cause the extinction of the entire biosphere of the object. And thats horrible.

[Bumber]

Or what if the asteroid itself was alive?

Life but not as we know it, Jim.

[scriver]

What if we are actually just cells in Terra's body?

[Ultimuh]

What if we are actually just cells in Terra's body?

Well.. We are full of cells ourselves.. So.. Cellception?

[helmacon]

What if we are all just cells in a giant version of microsoft excel?

[scriver]

We can't be cells in excel, only ex cells

[Rolan7]

If we're in Dead Cell, am I a gay vampire?

[TempAcc]

If dead cells are gay vampires, are living cells straight humans?

[Helgoland]

Waitwaitwait. If we're all cells, does Al Kaida consist of terrorist cells consisting of terrorist cells?

[Eric Blank]

Is a monstrous man monstrous down to his most base biology?

[wierd]

Yes. And rogue terror agents are cancer.

[TempAcc]

Moreover, if a terrorist's terrorist cells become cancer cells, are said cancer cells antiterrorist cells?

[Egan_BW]

We are parts of Terra, but we are also ourselves. Just as your gut bacteria are a vital part of your body, but may live or die separate from yourself.