The EarthStation project is intended to express a vision of a future, in which modern information and computertechnology can help us to control our impact on the global "Gaia" ecosystem in such a way that we shall be able to support a sustainable world. In order to reach that goal we have to learn to know our planet, understand the complex interactions between its many subsystems, and find a way to anticipate the consequences of our policy decisions on the global eco system so that we can live in a dynamic balance with all the subsystems of this planet which make the Earth inhabitable.
The EarthStation project consists of two major connected parts:
- Interactive graphic representation of the state of the earth.
- Simulation, and visualization of nonlinear dynamical models of global systems.
The first part should show how modern communication and computer technology can help us to obtain an image of our complex world with an accuracy and detail that was unimaginable only a few years ago. The second part should suggest how we can approach the concept of an EarthStation from a reconstructive perspective: How we can rebuild certain facets of "Gaia" in the artificial reality of computer simulations.
We want to show that the global "Gaia" system is not limited to primary ecological questions in the traditional sense. We also have to take into account economic, political, military, and population issues, and be aware that this list is not by any means complete.
