Amos, Rob (2021) Exploiting the final frontier – some initial thoughts on regulating humanity’s relationships with non-terrestrial life forms. Journal of Space Law 45 (1), pp. 111-141. ISSN 0095-7577.
Abstract
Scientists recently raised the prospect of microbiotic life existing on Venus. If confirmed, the history of our interactions with terrestrial species shows that humanity’s curiosity and desire to investigate will eventually give way to our urge to exploit. Although just as likely to be the result of currently unknown abiotic processes, the mere possibility that such life forms exist poses questions over the law’s role in regulating their exploitation. How should the risks associated with bringing alien life forms to Earth be managed? How should ownership of non-terrestrial resources be determined? Is it even appropriate to view such life forms as resources, or should we instead develop rights-based frameworks? Drawing on international instruments that address issues similar to these in respect of terrestrial species, this article presents some initial thoughts on how humanity’s relationships with alien life forms might be regulated.
Metadata
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| School: | Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Business and Law > Birkbeck Law School |
| Depositing User: | Administrator |
| Date Deposited: | 21 Jan 2025 16:07 |
| Last Modified: | 21 Jan 2025 16:07 |
| URI: | https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/54874 |
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