Earth or Mars? The future lies in choosing where, and who, we want to be

Our destiny, it seems, lies in a delicate balance: Reaching for the heavens while keeping our feet firmly planted on the ground

“What is that venture capitalist meeting look like? ‘So, Elon, what do you want to do?’ ‘I want to go to Mars?’ ‘How much will it cost?’ ‘$1 trillion’. ‘Is it safe?’ ‘No. People will probably die.’ ‘What’s the return on the investment?’ ‘Nothing.’”

 

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson recently fired a cheeky salvo at Elon Musk’s ambitious dream of colonising Mars. Dr Tyson questioned the feasibility of Mr Musk’s plan, suggesting humanity focus on solving Earth’s pressing problems instead.

 

Mr Musk, never one to shy away from a spat, hit back on X: “Wow, they really don’t get it. Mars