Homo Spaciens

Homo spaciens (from the Latin words homo, in the sense of "human being", and spatium "space" which combined form the meaning of “human being originated in space”) is a forthcoming species of the genus Homo, being evolved from Homo sapiens, which will be originated in outer space —and spread to inhabit space and/or other exoplanets.
ORIGINS OF THE CONCEPT
The conception and description of this species is cited by many authors writing about space exploration and human evolution. The Russian scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935), considered the father of cosmonautics and human space flight, envisioned a forthcoming new species of man, who would occupy the entire solar system and then would expand into the depth of the cosmos to create a cosmic civilization. He believed that human occupation of space was inevitable and would drive human evolution. Almost every author in the field of space exploration today cites him as a primary influence. Tsiolkovsky clearly understood that the primary issue in the future of space exploration was one of human evolution, and he saw it so early. Today, it is becoming increasingly clear to us that the universe is an infinite environment, the exploration of which will almost inevitably generate fundamental changes in human beings. Indeed, "homo sapiens" may well evolve into a new species, "homo spaciens", which will be more suited to life on the outer space than on Earth.
HUMAN EVOLUTION TIMELINE
Human evolution over the last three million years is often portrayed as a linear succession of three species: Homo habilis to Homo erectus to ourselves, Homo sapiens. But if we see human existence from the perspective of The Cosmic Calendar —a scale created by the American astronomer Carl Sagan (1934 -1996), in which the 13 billion years of the Universe's existence is mapped onto a calendrical year— we will find that the entire span of human evolution only represents the last two hours of December 31st. Within the scheme of this Cosmic Calendar, all of our recorded history occupies the last ten seconds of the last minute of the last day of the year, the pyramids were built nine seconds ago, the Roman Empire fell three seconds ago, and Columbus discovered America one second ago. Just one second after New Year is clocked, Homo Spaciens will establish settlements on the Moon, Mars, and extrasolar planets.
HUMAN COGNITIVE EVOLUTION
Homo habilis appeared around 2.5 million years ago, and used tools from rocks primarily for scavenging. Evolved humans, in the person of Homo erectus, appeared about 1.8 million years ago, and learned to master their environment for the first time, control fire, hunt, and use complex tools. Finally, the modern form, the Homo sapiens appeared about 100,000 years ago. Since then, major evolutionary steps have taken place, allowing humans to adapt and change their environment. From the making of more sophisticated tools through the inventions of maths, agriculture, metallurgy, and writing until the harnessing and use of electricity about 130 years ago. But, during the 20th century, has begun an embryonic development of a new human species. Nine major evolutionary milestones —such as the automobile, the airplane, the transistor, the television, the nuclear power, the computer, the human genome, the internet and Humankind's leap into space (1969 moon landing)— have occurred within the past ninety years, and they have changed profoundly our cognitive abilities.
Humankind now functions within a cognitive paradigm that far transcends, and bears very little resemblance to the cognitive context at the beginning of the 20th century. We have come from what amounts to the almost mediaeval perceptions and realm of consciousness of gas lamps and horse-and-buggy days to the vastness of the cosmic consciousness and perceptions of Man on the Moon in one life-time. We have become, practically overnight, cosmic beings. Today, we are a far different people than those of the turn of the last century. And far from having come to a grinding halt, cognitive evolution has indeed shifted into high gear in our time - and it will continue to accelerate exponentially.

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION
Evolution has allowed Humans not only to adapt and change their environment but also to create new habitats with the capability to sustain human life beyond the planet Earth. The International Space Station represents a significant first step toward the evolution of a distinct human species capable of adapting, changing and evolving with the space environment.
The move towards permanently settling space will eventually lead to longer and longer stays in space. Human beings, being the sexual creatures that they are, will eventually have sex. Ultimately, through planning or accident, children will be conceived in space.
Currently, there is little data which would preclude successful conception of a child in space. The physical act itself, while being somewhat more difficult because of a "rendezvous and docking problem", is not impossible and may be even more enjoyable because of the freedom of movement each partner has. As of yet, there is no data to indicate that a male's sperm count decreases in space, or that ovulation in a female would be abnormal. The growth of the embryo may be adversely affected by a microgravity environment. Neurological and other systems, which have evolved over time in an Earth gravity environment, may be adversely affected by the lack of environmental cues.
Perhaps one of the greatest potential problems is whether or not a child born and raised in space will be able to return to Earth. Some authors have speculated that activities such as raising the head, sitting up and standing would be greatly accelerated in a microgravity environment. However, in a microgravity environment, one can expect bone loss, muscle breakdown, and artificially stimulated extension or growth of muscle or bone, which would be detrimental even to an adult. Also apparent in microgravity is the lack of stimulation of the otoliths in the ear's semicircular canal. Otoliths provide the necessary sensory input for balance, and only work in a gravity environment. Lack of stimulation of these otoliths as a fetus develops may preclude the child from learning to cope with Earth's gravity.
Several authors, including some renowned scientists have proposed that by manipulating the genetic material humans could be bio-engineered to make them capable of tolerating space environmental conditions and those from other planets. A new human species adapted to life elsewhere in the galaxy could be created, and thus the survival of humankind could be secured by taken a giant leap forward towards space colonization.
In the long term, exposure to space environmental factors such as microgravity, radiation, and others unknown, could conceivably lead to the evolution of humankind towards the homo spaciens. This new species of the genus homo would be better suited to space than normal humans, but might forever be unable to survive on Earth-gravity worlds.
HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS EVOLUTION
From the first man to orbit Earth to the actual astronauts who are currently in space, all of them from different cultures and backgrounds have been describing a common experience known as the Overview Effect. It refers to the experience of seeing firsthand the reality of the Earth in space, which is immediately understood to be a tiny, fragile ball of life, hanging in the void, shielded and enveloped by a thin atmosphere. As they all describe, from space national boundaries vanish, the conflicts become useless and the need to create a planetary society with the united will to protect this “pale blue dot” becomes both obvious and imperative.
The Overview Effect and related phenomena are the first signs of the next shift in consciousness, and catalysts for social and personal development. This new consciousness will create in time a new spiritual culture, establishing the foundations for a series of new civilizations evolving beyond Earth and shaping the future of mankind in the coming centuries.

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