Redefining Resources and Innovation

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Exploring the shift from scarcity to abundance mindset, this chapter challenges the notion of limited resources driving conflict and advocates for a future marked by creativity and resource creation. It discusses historical inventions like the steam engine, advancements in energy sources, and highlights the potential of Mars as a frontier for technological innovation, including sustainable energy solutions. The conversation also delves into the evolution of electric cars, emphasizing the importance of zero carbon power sources for reducing emissions in the transportation sector.

When Robert Zubrin published his classic book The Case for Mars a quarter century ago, setting foot on the Red Planet seemed a fantasy. Today, manned exploration is certain, and as Zubrin affirms in The New World on Mars, so too is colonization. From the astronautical engineer venerated by NASA and today’s space entrepreneurs, here is what we will achieve on Mars and how.

Shermer and Zubrin discuss: why not start with the moon? • what it is like on Mars • whether Mars was ever like Earth • how much it will cost to go to Mars • how to get people to Mars • resources on Mars • colonization of Mars • public vs. private enterprise for space exploration • economics, politics, and government on Mars • lessons from the Red Planet for the Blue Planet • liberty in space.

Robert Zubrin is former president of Pioneer Astronautics, which performs advanced space research for NASA, the US Air Force, the US Department of Energy, and private companies. He is the founder and president of the Mars Society, leading the Society’s successful effort to build the first simulated human Mars exploration base in the Canadian Arctic.