Should We Colonize Other Planets?

As humans continue to degrade and destroy our planet’s resources, leading to predictions of total ecological collapse, some (such as the entrepreneur Elon Musk) now suggest that a human colony elsewhere may be our species’ best hope for survival.

Adam Morton examines extra-terrestrial colonization plans with a critical eye. He makes a strong case for colonization – just not by human beings. Humans live relatively short lives and, to survive, require large amounts of food and water, very spe...