According to Stephen Hawking, the colonization of Mars is far from being a utopia
“Is there life on Mars?” sang David Bowie in 1971. According to the famous astrophysicist & nbsp; Stephen Hawking , living on Mars is even humanity’s only way to survive. He argues that the colonization of the Red Planet is no longer science fiction. & Nbsp; Living on Mars: myth or reality for the future?
The Moon, Mars and then the whole universe
Hawking’s idea is not new. For decades, humanity has fantasized about living on Mars. Many films feature colonists who settle on the Red Planet (like & nbsp; Total Recall , to name just one). There are all kinds of reasons for this phenomenon, such as overpopulation, ecological disasters or the depletion of natural resources, which make all life on Earth impossible. It is precisely for this reason that Hawking believes that humanity should go and live in space.
The renowned scientist presented his ideas last June, in a conference at the Starmus Festival (Trondheim, Norway). According to him, the great nations of the planet should collaborate to send astronauts to Mars by 2025. But first of all, we should establish a lunar colony , which would act as a stopover. & Nbsp; “I hope the competing nations will succeed in coming together for this common goal and to meet this challenge that concerns us all,” said Hawking during his speech. He feels we have no choice. & Nbsp; “& nbsp; We have no more room and the only place we can still go is to other worlds. & Nbsp;”
The Earth, our precious home
The European Space Agency & nbsp; (ESA) has already announced that it should be possible to establish a lunar colony within 20 years. To make this project a reality, the space agency wants to use & nbsp; 3D printing techniques , but also take advantage of the natural sources present on the Moon. Hawking encourages investment in space and in the development of new technologies. He believes that we must quickly find a way to survive on Mars, a planet currently uninhabitable for humans.
That doesn’t mean we have to abandon Earth, Hawking adds. As long as we cannot survive elsewhere, we must manage our planet and our climate with care. With this in mind, the American president & nbsp; Trump & nbsp; recently made a disastrous decision, laments the Cambridge professor.