Are humans really on their way to Mars? For decades, setting foot on the planet has been a staple of science fiction. But today, the US, China and Elon Musk have set their sights on making that dream a reality.
President Donald Trump has pledged to “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars”, China could send its first crewed mission to Mars within a decade, and Elon Musk wants people to actually settle on Mars, transforming the human race into an interplanetary species.
In a new series of Tech Tonic, the FT’s Peggy Hollinger asks if we’re really about to land, and even live, on the red planet.
Listen to the full series, read episode transcripts and watch the trailer below. Or subscribe and listen to Tech Tonic for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Listen to Episode 3: Bad science fiction
