“Pass the mustard, please. I want to put some on my salad. Are you going to eat that radish? If not, I’ll take it.”
“Go ahead. I’m full. I’ve filled up on basil and mint.”
“Who would have believed that here we are, tens of millions of miles from Earth, and we’re having a tea-room lunch courteous of research by Prague University’s Jan Lukacevic.* Thank goodness he had the foresight to develop aeroponic techniques for growing plants like mustard, salad leaves, radishes, basil and mint. When you’re this far from home, there’s nothing like a salad leaf and mustard sandwich.”
“You know, back on Earth I visited The Land, a hydroponic display garden in Disney World. They had some big vegetables in that garden. I wish I could have some of those right now.”
“Wonder why we just got mustard and mint to grow on Mars. Couldn’t Jan have developed a Martian zucchini, maybe a Martian cow for meat or dairy?”
“Couldn’t fit the cows on board the ship, and there’s no grass to eat on Mars. Looks like a vegan trip for us, er, a vegan life in our new home.”
“Almost like living at Burger King, what with its new vegan Impossible Whopper, but without the refillable drinks.”
“Yes. But mustard, basil, and mint for toppings, and no chance to drive across the street for a spicy chicken sandwich at Chic-fil-a or a Big Mac at MacDonald's.”
“Will we be able to grow potatoes on Mars when we get there? I have a hankerin’ for fries.”
___
I’m not sure why people are so dissatisfied with this planet that they are opting for a one-way trip to Mars. Maybe you have some ideas why so many people want to live on Mars. The Washington Post reports that 78,000 people have signed up to compete for the four seats available on the initial flight that’s set for 2024. Dutch company Mars One, a nonprofit, has named the top 100 contenders for those four seats.
We’re talking big commitment in an age when 1.2 million married couples divorce each year in America and an uncounted number of POSSLQs decide to go their separate ways. Astronauts (Marsonauts?) headed to Mars on that one-way trip will literally be committing to a lifetime in a very limited social group. The Post has information about those who signed up, like Sonia Micole Van Meter (Speaking of the Dutch, Jan!), a political consultant, Oscar Matthews, a nuclear engineer, and Leila Rowland Zucker, an emergency room doctor.
Bunch of unhappy people? Adventurers looking to be the first explorers? Bunch of foolish risk-takers seeking a rush or Internet fame?
Fewer than 600 astronauts have taken up temporary residence on spacecraft or the moon over the past five decades. Not a big number compared to the seven billion humans currently alive or to the 100 billion humans who have inhabited Earth over the past 200 to 300 thousand years. No doubt many or all of them thought those temporary stays were wondrous events in their lives, but the key term is temporary. But a one-way trip to Mars?
I’m always amazed at the number of people who languish in ennui on Earth. Isn’t this place often wondrous and amazing? When I took college students on field trips, often to the tops of mountains, where magnificent vistas spread below us, I would say some version of “Feast your eyes and drink the wonder. Isn’t this a great planet? Aren’t you glad you chose this one?” But for some, like Sonia, Oscar, and Leila, this world isn’t, apparently, a best choice. They want to live on the Red Planet, not the blue one. Are they among a growing number of the Worldwide Unhappy who live in a wonder and amazement famine?
There is, believe it or not, a World Happiness Report.** Based on surveys in more than 160 countries, the report uses a 1 through 10 scale of happiness. Guess what? People aren’t really very happy, even in affluent countries. The USA participants scored 6.88, Canadians and Australians were a bit happier at 7.18, the Swedes, at 7.37; Norwegians at 7.44; Fins at 7.86. Russians aren’t very happy at 5.51. Indians are worse off at 3.82. Afghanis and South Sudanese score in the 2.8 range. Let’s face it: Most of the seven billion plus people on the planet don’t think they live in bliss. Yet, this is the only planet everyone but those four individuals and a few International Space Station astronauts will inhabit in several years. Of course, if the Chosen Four make it to Mars and survive on Lukacevic’s aeroponic food without becoming Martian Cains and Abels, then others might follow, four to six at a time, probably carrying more seeds for the perchlorate soils of Mars.
You aren’t going, right? Too much time already committed to life on Earth. So, having decided to stay here, where do you put yourself on a scale of happiness? Ten? Five? Three? I’m guessing that even the South Sudanese and Afghanis would still probably prefer life on Earth to life on Mars, even though mustard, salad leaves, radishes, basil and mint will be, I suppose, plentiful. When that unsolicited Mars One’s phone call rings with a survey about your desire to sign up for a life of aeroponic food on the Red Planet, just quickly say, “No thanks, I’m full on local wonder,” before hanging up.
*Reuters. 31 Oct 2019. Czech lab grows mustard plants for Mars. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-czech-science-mars-plants/czech-lab-grows-mustard-plants-for-mars-idUSKBN1XA28S Accessed November 12, 2019.
**Ortiz-Ospina, Esteban and Max Roser. Happiness and Life Satisfaction. Our World Data. Esteban Ortiz-Ospina and Max Roser (2019) - "Happiness and Life Satisfaction". Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from:
https://ourworldindata.org/happiness-and-life-satisfaction Accessed November 22, 2019.
“Go ahead. I’m full. I’ve filled up on basil and mint.”
“Who would have believed that here we are, tens of millions of miles from Earth, and we’re having a tea-room lunch courteous of research by Prague University’s Jan Lukacevic.* Thank goodness he had the foresight to develop aeroponic techniques for growing plants like mustard, salad leaves, radishes, basil and mint. When you’re this far from home, there’s nothing like a salad leaf and mustard sandwich.”
“You know, back on Earth I visited The Land, a hydroponic display garden in Disney World. They had some big vegetables in that garden. I wish I could have some of those right now.”
“Wonder why we just got mustard and mint to grow on Mars. Couldn’t Jan have developed a Martian zucchini, maybe a Martian cow for meat or dairy?”
“Couldn’t fit the cows on board the ship, and there’s no grass to eat on Mars. Looks like a vegan trip for us, er, a vegan life in our new home.”
“Almost like living at Burger King, what with its new vegan Impossible Whopper, but without the refillable drinks.”
“Yes. But mustard, basil, and mint for toppings, and no chance to drive across the street for a spicy chicken sandwich at Chic-fil-a or a Big Mac at MacDonald's.”
“Will we be able to grow potatoes on Mars when we get there? I have a hankerin’ for fries.”
___
I’m not sure why people are so dissatisfied with this planet that they are opting for a one-way trip to Mars. Maybe you have some ideas why so many people want to live on Mars. The Washington Post reports that 78,000 people have signed up to compete for the four seats available on the initial flight that’s set for 2024. Dutch company Mars One, a nonprofit, has named the top 100 contenders for those four seats.
We’re talking big commitment in an age when 1.2 million married couples divorce each year in America and an uncounted number of POSSLQs decide to go their separate ways. Astronauts (Marsonauts?) headed to Mars on that one-way trip will literally be committing to a lifetime in a very limited social group. The Post has information about those who signed up, like Sonia Micole Van Meter (Speaking of the Dutch, Jan!), a political consultant, Oscar Matthews, a nuclear engineer, and Leila Rowland Zucker, an emergency room doctor.
Bunch of unhappy people? Adventurers looking to be the first explorers? Bunch of foolish risk-takers seeking a rush or Internet fame?
Fewer than 600 astronauts have taken up temporary residence on spacecraft or the moon over the past five decades. Not a big number compared to the seven billion humans currently alive or to the 100 billion humans who have inhabited Earth over the past 200 to 300 thousand years. No doubt many or all of them thought those temporary stays were wondrous events in their lives, but the key term is temporary. But a one-way trip to Mars?
I’m always amazed at the number of people who languish in ennui on Earth. Isn’t this place often wondrous and amazing? When I took college students on field trips, often to the tops of mountains, where magnificent vistas spread below us, I would say some version of “Feast your eyes and drink the wonder. Isn’t this a great planet? Aren’t you glad you chose this one?” But for some, like Sonia, Oscar, and Leila, this world isn’t, apparently, a best choice. They want to live on the Red Planet, not the blue one. Are they among a growing number of the Worldwide Unhappy who live in a wonder and amazement famine?
There is, believe it or not, a World Happiness Report.** Based on surveys in more than 160 countries, the report uses a 1 through 10 scale of happiness. Guess what? People aren’t really very happy, even in affluent countries. The USA participants scored 6.88, Canadians and Australians were a bit happier at 7.18, the Swedes, at 7.37; Norwegians at 7.44; Fins at 7.86. Russians aren’t very happy at 5.51. Indians are worse off at 3.82. Afghanis and South Sudanese score in the 2.8 range. Let’s face it: Most of the seven billion plus people on the planet don’t think they live in bliss. Yet, this is the only planet everyone but those four individuals and a few International Space Station astronauts will inhabit in several years. Of course, if the Chosen Four make it to Mars and survive on Lukacevic’s aeroponic food without becoming Martian Cains and Abels, then others might follow, four to six at a time, probably carrying more seeds for the perchlorate soils of Mars.
You aren’t going, right? Too much time already committed to life on Earth. So, having decided to stay here, where do you put yourself on a scale of happiness? Ten? Five? Three? I’m guessing that even the South Sudanese and Afghanis would still probably prefer life on Earth to life on Mars, even though mustard, salad leaves, radishes, basil and mint will be, I suppose, plentiful. When that unsolicited Mars One’s phone call rings with a survey about your desire to sign up for a life of aeroponic food on the Red Planet, just quickly say, “No thanks, I’m full on local wonder,” before hanging up.
*Reuters. 31 Oct 2019. Czech lab grows mustard plants for Mars. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-czech-science-mars-plants/czech-lab-grows-mustard-plants-for-mars-idUSKBN1XA28S Accessed November 12, 2019.
**Ortiz-Ospina, Esteban and Max Roser. Happiness and Life Satisfaction. Our World Data. Esteban Ortiz-Ospina and Max Roser (2019) - "Happiness and Life Satisfaction". Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from:
https://ourworldindata.org/happiness-and-life-satisfaction Accessed November 22, 2019.
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