Elon Musk explains how Mars could help shield humanity from pandemics, AI and global disasters
A man on a mission, Elon Musk is racing headlong to put mankind where mankind has never been put before, as SpaceX races to Mars.
It's been the lifelong goal for Elon Musk to be the face of extraterrestrial exploration, as the richest man on the globe continues to target another planet to monopolise.
Through his company SpaceX, the entrepreneur has claimed that the first mission to Mars could be launched in less than a year, although this was slowed down as he also targets building a city on the Moon, which could be erected within a decade.
But the esteemed businessman is very much aware that his own involvement in AI could be one of the reasons why mankind may have to flee Earth at some point, with civilization not lasting forever.
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Now, he's taken to social media to reveal just how travelling to Mars would help save humanity from all kinds of threats, from AI revolutions to undefeatable pandemics and global disasters.
Mars civilization 'greatly reduces the risk of consciousness being extinguished,' says Musk
With terrifying scientific advancements increasing the possibility of disasters like an AI uprising, SpaceX and Elon Musk are pouring resources into getting to Mars quicker than anyone else.
But while it may have once been perceived as a case of 'why not?' Musk now claims that getting among the stars is crucial to humans, and that the travel conditions themselves are already one of the biggest benefactors to staying alive.
"I have always known that dangers from Earth will also pose dangers to Mars," he said on X, correcting a statement that claimed that it had become a political project that didn't understand that the problems mankind are fleeing from would follow them to Mars.
"Obviously so. However, the immense difficulty of traveling to Mars means that there is a much higher likelihood of mitigating risks originating from Earth."
"A clear example of major risk reduction would be a deadly pandemic. Since it takes 6 months to reach Mars, there is an automatic 6-month quarantine!
"Even traveling at the speed of light, a deadly computer virus or AI attack can potentially be stopped due to Mars being ~4 to ~20 light-minutes from Earth.
"This doesn’t mean that a Mars civilization eliminates all risk, but it absolutely greatly reduces the risk of consciousness being extinguished."
Yet he's not intending that we simply board a ship to avoid a huge tsunami, and start over to create the same mistakes on Mars.
Instead, getting out into the galaxy would be the first step to keeping mankind alive until other hospitable planets are in our reach.
"Moreover, Mars is a stepping stone to extending consciousness broadly within our solar system and ultimately to millions of stars within our galaxy, which would extend the probable lifespan of consciousness as we know it by many orders of magnitude," he added.
"That said, what I personally find most motivating is not the risk reduction aspect of extending life beyond Earth, but rather the inspiring nature of exploration and being out there among the stars!
"Perhaps we will meet aliens or find the remains of long-dead civilizations that lasted millions of years."