But in the long run, humans will live in space. We have to. In 50 million years, the Earth will be so hot, the oceans will boil away. We have no choice. In the meantime, our unchecked reproduction will reek havoc and the recent megadeath will become gigadeath.

But I believe some will make it.

And barring catastrophe, I believe that it is almost a certainly that we will get to Mars, eventually to stay. I am not foolish enough to believe that a colony will be established in my lifetime (hopefully another 30-40 years), but do people really believe that we won't make it there in 100, 250, or 500 years time?

My grandparents were born before powered flight and the mass production of motor cars and yet lived to see men walking on the Moon, all in a span of less than 70 years. Sure there have been setbacks and different priorities in the 40 years since then, but science and technology have continued apace and will continue to do so whether or not we go to Mars in the next 40 years. At some point (perhaps after space elevators and powerful and hyper-efficient ion engines are a reality) we will have the wherewithal to get to Mars, and the colonization race will begin.

I firmly believe that our destiny belongs among the stars (assuming we don't screw it up before we get there!). The Moon is the next step, but Mars will come soon after. Perhaps no one alive today will ever call Mars home, but I would not be at all surprised if some of their grandchildren do some day.

(I agree with Astrofiend that the US may not be the ones to get there first. The world is changing and China, India, and Europe will either be our partners or strong competitors in the race to Mars in the decades ahead.

Sadly, I doubt we will ever set foot on Mars, much less colonize it. We Americans have lost the stomach for risk, the will to explore, or the desire to pay for it.

The only time we are willing to move is when we think someone else will beat us to it; otherwise, "It's a waste of money", we always hear from Congress and the public.

We just want to watch DVDs and play our Nintindos. Such a shame, such a waste of an intelligent people…"

I agree to a certain extent Alex, but there are a number of nations that are on the up-and-up who are basically falling over themselves to prove their worth in space… Space is almost the 'proving ground' of a great civilisation, and only the USA and USSR (or Russia to a certain extent) can really claim to have proved their mettle so far by both contributing to a number of 'firsts'. I think in the next 20 or so years, China, Japan and India among others will have the money and are going to be seriously keen to get some of the prestige that goes along with the symbolic act of getting one of those 'firsts' in space exploration.

I think once they even look like getting to the technological point where manned missions to the moon or beyond would be feasible, the USA's interest in claiming those trophies will, excuse the pun, sky rocket…

It would be a shame if they were caught napping again – it is interesting to note that almost every 'first' in spaceflight was achieved by the USSR. The only thing that the US managed to beat them to was the moon (no small feat of course), solely due to the fact that US politicians were reluctant to fund the space program and related research because they couldn't see the benefits and underestimated their competition severely… It could happen again if you're not careful.

didnt hear of that theory before?

…that if overpopulation and disease kill us all

The only time we are willing to move is when we think someone else will beat us to it; otherwise, "It's a waste of money", we always hear from Congress and the public.

We just want to watch DVDs and play our Nintindos. Such a shame, such a waste of an intelligent people…

I certainly agree with your second sentance, but we will never get there. We will study all that is going on and learn, and enjoy much more, but Mars is not viable for a civilization and everything else is light years away. Of course this is also just my opinion.