"Mars is a hostile environment" - Elon Musk says there can be a million people on Mars in 20 years by recreating "entire base of industry of earth"

Elon Musk recently there could be a million people on Mars in 20 years by recreating "the entire base of the Earth" during the March 19, 2025, episode of the Verdict with Ted Cruz podcast. On the same day, X user DogeDesigner shared a clip from the podcast, highlighting Musk's thoughts on building a habitable environment on Mars.

"We're here at the top of a massive pyramid that starts with mining a vast array of materials, (and) those materials going through hundreds of steps of refinement. We grow food, obviously. We grow trees — we make things out of trees. You've got to build all that on Mars, and Mars is a hostile environment", Elon Musk said.

During the March 19 episode of the Ted Cruz podcast, SpaceX head Elon Musk shared several details about his ambitious Mars mission.

When asked, "What year does man first step foot on Mars?", Musk estimated that the "soonest" possibility would be 2029, adding, "I don't think it's more than two to four years beyond."

Further discussing the feasibility of a self-sustaining settlement, Cruz inquired, "How close are we technologically to being able to do that?"

"I think it can be done in 20 years", Musk responded.

However, later, Elon Musk retweeted the post by DogeDesigner, that the "best case" scenario is "20 years", but it can take up to "30" years to make this happen.

In the podcast clip, Cruz also posed a crucial question:

"When you think about a million people on Mars, do we have the ability to get water, to get food, to keep them safe? What do we need to make that happen?"

In response, Elon Musk emphasized the complexity of creating a sustainable living environment, noting that humans exist on "the top of a massive pyramid of industry."

He elaborated how his vision rests on replicating Earth's industrial base, adapting it to Mars’ harsh conditions, and pushing the boundaries of human innovation.

"You need to recreate the entire base industry of Earth", Musk remarked.

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Elon Musk shares views on "aliens" and "killer robots" during Ted Cruz podcast

President-Elect Donald Trump Meets With Biden, Congressional Leaders In Washington - Source: Getty

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur, is renowned for founding Tesla and SpaceX, and his ambitious ventures in electric vehicles, space exploration, and AI. During his latest appearance on the Verdict with Ted Cruz podcast, Musk shared thoughts on extraterrestrial life and AI.

According to the March 19, 2025 article by Newsweek, podcast host Cruz initiated the conversation about the possibility of alien existence while discussing human settlement on Mars.

"What do you put the odds of finding either alien life or evidence of alien life (on Mars)?" Cruz asked.

Musk responded negatively, stating there's a chance of finding new species of "subterranean microbial life" but not "aliens".

"I don't think we are going to find aliens...We may find the ruins of a long-dead alien civilization, that's possible. And we may find subterranean microbial life, that's possible," Elon Musk said.

During the first part of the discussion, released on Monday, Cruz also asked Elon Musk about AI and the hypothetical threat of 'killer robots'.

"Is Skynet real? How real is the prospect of killer robots annihilating humanity", Cruz asked.

"20% likely," Musk answered promptly. "Maybe 10%," suggesting that such a scenario could unfold within five to 10 years. Despite the grim prediction, Musk emphasized a more optimistic outlook.

"I mean, you could look at it like the glass is 80-90% full," he remarked. "80% likely will have extreme prosperity for all", Musk responded.

At present, Musk is leading advancements in AI through companies like Tesla and xAI, while also pursuing space exploration goals with SpaceX.