Musk fires back at Tyson's criticism of Mars plans
Elon Musk may or may not be purchasing MSNBC, but one thing is clear: he's not staying silent in response to Neil deGrasse Tyson's criticism of his Mars colonization plans.
The billionaire entrepreneur addressed deGrasse Tyson's pointed remarks during Friday's "Overtime" segment on Real Time with Bill Maher. The two have long disagreed on the importance of colonizing Mars, with Musk advocating for it as essential to humanity's survival. At the same time, deGrasse Tyson believes Earth's immediate problems should take precedence. This debate has echoed among scientists and commentators since the early days of space exploration.
During the latest exchange, Maher asked deGrasse Tyson how long it would realistically take for Musk to send humans to Mars, referencing the astrophysicist's well-known stance that prioritizing Earth is more urgent. Maher quipped, "How badly would we have to devastate Earth before Mars—where it's 200 degrees below zero, has no air, no water, and takes six months to reach—becomes the better option?!" Tyson enthusiastically responded, "Preach it! Preach it!"
DeGrasse Tyson elaborated, explaining his skepticism about the feasibility of Musk's Mars ambitions. "Throughout history, we've only undertaken massive, costly space exploration projects when geopolitically necessary, like during rivalry or perceived threats. So, for someone to propose Mars colonization just because it's the 'next thing to do'—what does that pitch look like?" Tyson imagined a hypothetical meeting with venture capitalists: "'So, Elon, what's your idea?' 'Mars.' 'How much will it cost?' '$1 trillion.' 'Is it safe?' 'No, people will probably die.' 'What's the ROI?' 'Nothing.' That's a five-minute meeting, and it doesn't happen."
Tyson concluded, "At some point, someone has to pay, and being passionate about an idea isn't the same as funding it."
Musk shot back on Saturday via X, expressing disbelief at the remarks. "Wow, they really don't get it," Musk wrote. "Mars is critical to the long-term survival of consciousness. Also, I'm not asking venture capitalists for money. I know it doesn't make sense as an investment. That's why I'm using my own resources."
Musk also appeared to take a more personal jab at deGrasse Tyson, questioning his motives. "The real issue is that Neil decided to grovel to the woke far left after being hit with a #MeToo allegation. You can avoid being canceled if you apologize and support their nonsense ideology. The truth hurts."
Musk then doubled down on the case for a Mars mission, even acknowledging the possibility of failure. "Even if we fail to create a self-sustaining Mars colony, the sheer ambition of the goal will still drive the creation of alien-level technology that far surpasses competitors who are only aiming for Earth orbit."
The debate over Mars colonization continues to fuel tension between Musk and deGrasse Tyson, representing broader divisions between those advocating for interplanetary exploration and those focused on solving Earth's challenges.
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