Mars Dreams, Earthbound Realities
TL;DR
An Australian books columnist critiques the Mars-colonisation hype, recounting Mars One’s bankruptcy and arguing that a one-way mission to Mars is an impractical, TV-driven fantasy. He notes brutal Mars conditions (radiation, extreme cold, dust storms, low gravity) and suggests the off-world dream is more about prestige or corporate branding than viability, concluding he’d rather stay on Earth with dogs and prawns.
- Tech barons dream of human colonies on Mars – but I can’t think of a worse place to die | Jordan Prosser The Guardian
- Mars is usually named as humanity's most likely second home, but a NASA-funded study concluded it cannot be terraformed with present technology, and until that changes, living there would mean sealing yourself against near-vacuum, deep cold and steady Space Daily
- Mars could become humanity's second home by 2050, says space resources engineer starlust.org
Want the full story? Read the original reporting
Read on The Guardian