Despite what many science fiction programs might have us believe, the colonization of Mars is not only unlikely, but also a giant waste of time, according to Bill Nye.
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“This whole idea of terraforming Mars, as respectful as I can be, are you guys high?” Nye recently shared with USA TODAY. “We can’t even take care of this planet where we live, and we’re perfectly suited for it, let alone another planet.”
While Nye didn’t necessarily say it would be an impossibility to accomplish such a feat, he compared the harsh climate of Mars to one of Earth’s most desolate environments, which humanity hasn’t bothered attempting to colonize.
“People disagree with me on this, and the reason they disagree is because they’re wrong,” Nye joked. “Nobody goes to Antarctica to raise a family. You don’t go there and build a park, there’s just no such thing.”
“Nobody’s gonna go settle on Mars to raise a family and have generations of Martians,” Nye said. “It’s not reasonable because it’s so cold. And there is hardly any water. There’s absolutely no food, and the big thing, I just remind these guys, there’s nothing to breathe.”
Given that people have been able to walk around on the Moon, which also lacks the necessary resources to survive, it’s absolutely possible that structures and technology could be utilized to give some semblance of life.
“When you leave your dome, you’re gonna put on another dome, and I think that will get old pretty quick,” Nye quipped. “Especially the smell in the spacesuit – all the Febreze you can pack, I think it will really help you up there.”
Despite the likelihood of ever living on Mars being incredibly small, Nye still encourages the exploration of the red planet for a number of reasons.
“If we were to find evidence of life on Mars … it would change the course of human history,” Nye pointed out. “Everybody would feel differently about being a living thing in the cosmos.”
Humans surviving on the planet in any fulfilling capacity might seem unreasonable, but that isn’t to say life doesn’t currently, nor has it ever existed in the unforgiving environment.
“I want to find evidence of life on another world in my lifetime, so Mars in the next logical place to look,” Nye shared. “People say what are you gonna find there? We don’t know, and that’s why we go and explore the unknown horizon.”
What do you think about Nye’s remarks about Mars? Let us know in the comments below!
