Summing up the year, the editors of Nature - one of the most respected scientific journals in the world - drew attention to the increased popularity of research, statements and just fantasies about the colonization of Mars this year. First of all, of course, it was about the presentation of SpaceX, at which Elon Musk talked about plans to populate the Marisan colony with a million Earthlings. But the scientists thought and decided that nothing good for humanity would come of this idea.
Perhaps this is technically possible, says the editors of Nature, but there is no escape from Earth's problems to Mars. The editors relied on a series of publications in Space Police magazine, the authors of which reflected on how the economy and politics of the conquered red planet would turn out.
The rather high cost of traveling to Mars and building a colony there, a nuclear reactor to generate electricity, and communication with the Earth will make the exploration of Mars impossible without attracting funds from large corporations. And this, according to the authors of the editorial, will inevitably create a conflict between “those who want Mars to remain Martian” and those who consider it their task to develop its natural resources.
Surviving on Mars is probably possible. But what kind of life will it be?
Shot from the movie "The Martian"
The existing space legislation does not allow drawing boundaries of influence on other planets, the authors remind, but the parties to the conflict will certainly want to divide the territory of Mars into economic zones and reserves (in the latter, it will obviously be impossible to develop the subsoil and leave space debris).
Obviously, the editors of Nature believe that for all this to work and suit all colonists, Martian laws must exist. But whose interests will such laws protect? Who will write them? What if the Martian settlers decide that the Earth has too many powers and wants more freedom? How does the Earth react to the turbulent environment in extraterrestrial territories?
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The article ends with a transparent hint that earthly conflicts will remain with earthlings, wherever they build their cities. “All these reflections paint a picture of Mars divided by political, cultural, religious, economic contradictions and inequality. Doesn't it look like anything?"
