Saw this argument used when I was posting about terraforming and it actually made me giggle.

@Punished_Jess I mean, I can understand where they're coming from, it sets a bad precedent if we don't do our due diligence to check a world is truly lifeless before starting. But on the other hand, the outright refutation of it by citing historical colonialism is a stretch if you ask me.

@Punished_Jess Since terraforming is so far away from happening and would take a long time developing and actually doing, that gives plenty of time for scientists to study everything there is on a planet

@Punished_Jess But melting the ice caps is?

@Punished_Jess I'm such a red, you can call me Ann Clayborne the way I think we should probably preserve the natural landscape but know that we won't so we should do all the good science while we can

@Punished_Jess TERRAFORM VENUS

@Punished_Jess it's only a crime if there was life on that planet previously or if it was particularly notable for some reason unrelated to habitation

@Punished_Jess is mayonnaise terraforming