HERZOG TO MUSK: IDEA OF COLONIZING MARS "AN OBSCENITY"

By Mike Brown and Jack Kleinman

From Inverse

SpaceX CEO Musk has a plan to send the first humans to Mars in the mid-2020s, using the under-development Starship rocket. Once they get there, Musk wants to build out a self sustaining million-strong city on Mars by 2050.

But famed film director Herzog tells Inverse there is a massive flaw in the latter half of Musk's plan.

In a blistering criticism, Herzog describes the idea as "an obscenity," and says humans should "not be like the locusts."

In the interview, conducted earlier this month prior to the release of his documentary on asteroids, Herzog also compares Musk's plan to the rise and collapse of communism and fascism in the 20th century. The 21st century will "quickly" end the "technological utopia like colonizing Mars," he says.

Herzog is not opposed to going to Mars at all. In fact, the German filmmaker would "love to go [to Mars] with a camera with scientists." But the long-term vision of a Mars city is a "mistake."

Herzog's main concern is that humanity should "rather look to keep our planet habitable," instead of trying to colonize another one.

In short, Mars is not a livable place. There is no liquid water at the surface, or air to breathe. Solar wind means inhabitants would be "fried like in a microwave," Herzog says.

Musk has responded to this kind of criticism before. In 2018 he shared research suggesting water ice exists on Mars in the Korolev crater, and hinted the planet "needs a warmup." Over time, researchers have detected more than  1.2 million cubic of water ice at or near the surface of Mars.

Musk has repeatedly mooted a plan to heat up the planet and release stored carbon dioxide, citing a 1992 research paper as evidence it would work. He claims doing so would enable humans to walk around Mars with just a breathing apparatus.

"I think Elon Musk stylizes himself as some sort of a technological visionary," Herzog says. "Because he has to sell his electric cars, wonderful that he does that. He has to sell his reusable rockets. Wonderful that he's doing it."

"But I disagree with him when he postulates and preaches about colonizing Mars," Herzog says.

"And I have to tell not only Elon Musk, but everyone. And so I say it as straightforward as it can be... it is an obscenity. The thought alone is an obscenity."

To read rest of story, click on link: https://www.inverse.com/innovation/spacex-mars-city-werner-herzog/amp