Mars won't solve our problems

The exploration rover Curiosity broadcast the first photos of Mars on Tuesday. In the left-liberal daily De Morgen science philosopher Gustaaf Cornelis questions the value of the operation: "Manned space travel to other planets and all the preparatory research this requires should not be justified with multi-generational ethics. The solutions to the problems of future generations lie not on the moon or Mars. We must and will find other ways for life on Earth to remain humane - and if not, nature will lend a hand. It has always been this way. To justify unmanned space travel with the argument that it paves the way for the 'necessary' manned space travel is pure populism and therefore inappropriate. Space travel is far too expensive and fantastical for it to solve our problems in the distant future. Today there are genuinely sensible options on which this research funding could be better spent."

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