Elon Musk has never hidden his obsession with Mars. The billionaire has grand plans to colonize the Red Planet, and his ambition knows no bounds. Rumors have swirled that he even offered his sperm to create life there. However, Musk has denied this claim.
A Visionary’s Ambitious Plans
No human has yet set foot on Mars, but according to The New York Times, Elon Musk allegedly proposed sending his sperm to help establish a human colony. This audacious idea fits the larger-than-life persona of Musk, who is known for his ambitious and often eccentric ideas.
Musk’s fascination with Mars dates back to his childhood. Inspired by Isaac Asimov’s science fiction novel “Foundation,” young Musk dreamt of colonizing a distant planet to preserve human knowledge. “It is urgent to make life multiplanetary. We must do it while civilization is strong,” Musk said in a presentation at SpaceX’s Texas launch center last April.
The Dream of Living on Mars
To safeguard humanity against potential global catastrophes, Musk has poured his efforts and fortune into his ultimate dream: living on Mars. According to an investigation by The New York Times, which included interviews with twenty of Musk’s close associates and an examination of SpaceX’s internal documents, Musk has seriously considered the feasibility of building a Martian city.
Mars presents numerous challenges: arid climate, extreme cold, dust storms, and unbreathable air. Yet, Musk’s team is tackling these issues head-on. One team is focused on designing habitats for Martian settlers, another is developing suits to help humans survive the harsh environment, and a third is exploring the possibility of human reproduction on Mars. According to two anonymous sources, Musk even offered his own sperm to advance scientific research in this area.
Musk’s Denial
Musk has denied these claims. He declined to comment to The New York Times but took to X (formerly Twitter) to refute the information. He also denied the existence of teams working to accelerate Mars colonization, stating that his priority remains “focusing on how to get to Mars.”
However, Musk’s obsession with Mars is well-documented. While NASA doesn’t plan to send humans to Mars before 2040, Musk claimed on X in May 2024 that it would take less than ten years to send people to Mars. A month earlier, he told SpaceX employees that the Red Planet could host a million inhabitants within twenty years, demonstrating his bold vision for Martian colonization.
Engineering Life for Mars
Musk has also expressed interest in creating organisms better suited for life on Mars. “I think it is quite likely that we would want to bioengineer new organisms better suited to life on Mars,” he said in an interview.
Scientists, however, remain uncertain about the feasibility of human reproduction in space, let alone on Mars. Adam Watkins, an associate professor of reproductive biology at the University of Nottingham, told Business Insider that “studies have shown that you can send freeze-dried sperm into space, sealed.” He explained that these sperm could potentially be used for IVF. However, space radiation and microgravity present significant challenges, making the prospect of pregnancy in such conditions highly uncertain.
Musk, already a father to a large brood, may have to wait before adding a Martian baby to his family.