What the actual F? According to this article, more than 100,000 people have signed up for a project aimed at colonizing Mars in 2022.

Highlights from the article:

"(CNN) -- More than 100,000 people are eager to make themselves at home on another planet. They've applied for a one-way trip to Mars, hoping to be chosen to spend the rest of their lives on uncharted territory, according to an organization planning the manned missions."

"For the first crew, the Mars One mission will cost $6 billion.

Out of the applicants, Mars One said it will select a multicontinental group of 40 astronauts this year. Four of them -- two men and two women -- are set to leave for Mars in September 2022, landing in April 2023."


The article is worth reading in full for sure. Am I the only one who finds this absolutely INSANE?!?!?!?! Let's say this project actually takes off, just a few concerns:

- Is this real life?
- I feel like $6 billion really isn't enough to fund such an enormous project
- We aren't even able to take care of our own planet, let alone beginning destruction of another.
- They plan on filming this. I feel like this will be a major disaster with unforeseen complications and who really wants to see 100,000 people die a terrible death?
- In case of emergency, it's not exactly like help is mere miles away

I knew people would try this but I always expected that would be FAR into the future. I'm afraid to move to the countryside let alone literally moving to fucking Mars and never coming back. What do you guys think about this? Would you sign up?

I think a lot of them just want their name to show up in some future history book
Some people would even sign up just for the novelty of it

they had to pay and create a profile so they had a decent time to debate going or not so I honestly can't imaging what was going through their head when they signed up
like wtf? What would you even DO on mars.
can't go outside, it's all rock and dust and you got no internet.
Besides if your not a Scientist or Engineer, then your a lab rat for the Scientists, and they could do all sorts of "cool" experiments on you
and if no scientists actually get sent off, then somethings up...

Personally, I'm rather surprised they would pick Mars of all the places to set up a colony on. I would think that picking an Earth-like model that the Kepler Mission had been looking for would be a better idea. Not only would it have served it's original purpose of finding planets that may be able to harbor life, but there would be less terraforming that need be done. If you're at all interested in seeing how scientists suggest colonies be set-up, I suggest you check out a documentary done by National Geographic a little while back called "Evacuating Earth". It's a total of about an hour and a half, but it's insightful and interesting (in my opinion at least). Other than that, I don't find it too surprising that people would sign-up for this. As for whether I would sign-up, I'd go affirmative. It'd be at the very least interesting to be a pioneer, and even if it was to be a big flop, at least you won't be just another nameless nobody, and you can show the next wave how NOT to colonize.

It'd make a nice horror film setting.

I would get bored of the scenery in a couple of hours. A pile of rocks over there, a valley of here. Nothing that Earth doesn't have. Unless our world is plunged into a nuclear holocaust, I am content with the diversity of our planet.

And as Raptor said, if this thing fails, we can expect footage of a rundown space colony full of cannibals and mutants. I should totally write a screenplay.

You guys need some more sense of adventure.

This would potentially help our entire race. If we can populate outer space, we are one step further into the future.

If I didn't still have shit to do on this planet, I'd sign up in a heartbeat.

With earths luck we would get hit by some martian disease.

Id probably still sign up though.

Quote from TheWhiteSmith

You guys need some more sense of adventure.

This would potentially help our entire race. If we can populate outer space, we are one step further into the future.

If I didn't still have shit to do on this planet, I'd sign up in a heartbeat.

There's plenty of adventure on earth... I'd rather experience thousands of different sceneries and organisms rather then spend my time admiring space dust for a lifetime.

Yes it can benefit humanity, and I commend those who are willing to make the sacrifice and become the guinea pigs. But (note that I haven't researched) I find that there are so many factors to consider. How will crimes be dealt with along with other social aspects? Is there a sufficient amount of engineers, doctors, workers, etc, and will there be a continual addition of the occupations into the colony. What if it stops? Out of the 100,000, how many will regret their decision and beat their heads in with a rock? Bodily adaptation to the environment. etc.

"Adventure" requires planning. And if this mission ends up attracting short sighted people, the project will be fucked either way. It's great to be optimistic, but being realistic when it comes to these decisions are important. Some may consider the risk to be too great, and I don't blame them. Others are willing to go for the rest of us, which once again, I admire them for.

You guys get to take over another world except this time its a planet. I should expect an American flag on Mars by the end of 2023.

Quote from Raptor

You guys get to take over another world except this time its a planet. I should expect an American flag on Mars by the end of 2023.

My plans for World Domination will finally be complete!

I ain't going on mars no ho
Like, is there 100% oxygen in there? What is this Backyard Monsters destroying tribes? What the fuck
I guess over 80% of all humans in the world never cared for Earth after all.

I think Star wars have better planets than reality.

Quote from Guitarii

I ain't going on mars no ho
Like, is there 100% oxygen in there? What is this Backyard Monsters destroying tribes? What the fuck
I guess over 80% of all humans in the world never cared for Earth after all.

I think Star wars have better planets than reality.

Mars's atmosphere consists of mostly Carbon Dioxide. And I think you went too far with that 80% statistic.

I doubt a number this large will go to this trip. I think it's some sort of survey, out of which they will pick the most capable and suitable to go. Lets be logical, if they can really send a number this huge to Mars by then, then how come there was never at least another lunar mission with a handful of people only to go.

Quote from Salt

Mars's atmosphere consists of mostly Carbon Dioxide. And I think you went too far with that 80% statistic.

I doubt a number this large will go to this trip. I think it's some sort of survey, out of which they will pick the most capable and suitable to go. Lets be logical, if they can really send a number this huge to Mars by then, then how come there was never at least another lunar mission with a handful of people only to go.

Waht
So you're telling us that over approximately 65% will go to mars? so the rest of the 31% will stay here? How are they suppose to build buildings in a planet with low gravity? Are they suppose to go a 15 hour round trip from Mars to Earth to Mars for food and survival?
And yes your logic was somehow legit. Somehow the moon is just one reflecting big round asteroid circling us imo.

You guys are idiots, seriously.

Quote from Guitarii

Waht
So you're telling us that over approximately 65% will go to mars? so the rest of the 31% will stay here? How are they suppose to build buildings in a planet with low gravity? Are they suppose to go a 15 hour round trip from Mars to Earth to Mars for food and survival?
And yes your logic was somehow legit. Somehow the moon is just one reflecting big round asteroid circling us imo.

Stop fucking around.