Is terraforming Uranus and Neptune possible?

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According to this website, it might be possible, by blasting off layers and leaving the rocky cores, turning them into rocky planets like the Earth, instead of the gas planets that they are now.

http://terraforming.wikia.com/wiki/Uranus

http://terraforming.wikia.com/wiki/Neptune

Even though they mostly consist of gas, they're still massive. I think doing what the articles suggest would have a negative impact on the solar system, due to the fact that the planets would lose much of their gravity.

Even if the massive technological problems could be overcome including wrecking the orbits of the planets and wreaking havoc on the rest of the planets; it would still be far too cold to be habitable. The effort would be better spent creating bases on the moon or mars or making space stations - we could have millions of them out there and benefiting from the energy and light from the sun.

It depends on your definition of terraforming...

What you can do at Uranus and Neptune, and also Saturn (though it is a lot harder, due to the extremely low atmospheric density), is build floating habitats that have close to Terran gravity, eventually covering the planet if you were inclined to do so. Once that's done - or even before, if you build tall enough walls - you could sequester the existing atmosphere beneath and place a breathable one on top, giving you a lot of "terraformed" surface area. But given the distance from Sol, you'll probably be wanting a greenhouse, so you might as well paraterraform instead - a lot easier given that there wouldn't be any pressure differences between the inner and outer atmospheres.

Maybe even build an inhabited sunline around the planet, to provide power to the moons around. The ring could get pretty sizeable. You wouldn't be able to have any oceans, but shallow lakes would be manageable. It depends on where (pressure-wise_ you place it. You'll probably be breathing trimix...

Wouldn't it be easier just to build a massive space station.

I would like to see humanity's problems fixed first.

Classic answers Don't worry, no-one will start terraforming them before we have colonies out there, you don't have to worry about precious resources being taken from Terra to pay for it...

By the time we'll be able to consider such a project, we will most certainly have extensive colonies throughout the solar system and an abundance (post-scarcity) economy.

I shave myanus once a month....does that count?

how do you avoid shaving rash? that would be a real PITA. anyways, I would like making a habitat on the mars-facing side of phobos. that would be the cat's pajamas.

I'm wondering why you'd want to go out that far.

Why not aim for terraforming Mars? They say if you generate greenhouse gases, including CO2, then add plants, you'll end up with an atmosphere with enough oxygen to keep people happy.

Thing is, there's that "little" problem of the solar winds and Mars having no magnetic field to speak of. Sure you could go outside and breathe, but then you get toasted.

Is Mars even in the "goldilocks zone" anyway? I've never been clear on that.

if it had a suitable atmosphere it would be at the outer edge of the goldilocks zone, from what I've read.

The scientific consensus is not "clear" about it either. But basically what auntblabby said: if it had enough atmospheric pressure to have liquid water it probably would be in the outer part of goldilocks zone. Mars is the most earthlike of the othe planets. Venus is our near twin in size but it had a runaway greenhouse effect that causes it to be even hotter than Mercurey.

the goldilocks zone is just the beginning. a suitable magnetic field and ozone layer is also required for relatively fragile advanced life forms to survive above ground.

I use an electric hair clipper. It leaves like 1/16th or less....doesn't cut to the skin. Just enough to whack down the forest...so to speak.

Not a chance. It is too cold out there.

ruveyn

and I'm sure it keeps the Klingons away as well.