Professor Jean-Marc Salotti, an expert at The Bordeaux Institut National Polytechnique, says survival depends on access to natural resources and people's working time requirements being less than their working time capacity

Just 110 humans would be needed to set up a new civilisation on Mars, a scientist has said.

The minimum population would be needed to help make tools and commodities before supplies run out.

They would have to live in an oxygen-filled dome if we were to set foot and live on the red plant.

Agriculture and industry would also have to be set up.

Professor Jean-Marc Salotti made the prediction after carrying out research.

The study findings would ensure there wouldn't be a real life version of Matt Damon's character in Ridley Scott's blockbuster The Martian.

The 2015 film tells how the actor's astronaut character Mark Watney is stranded on Mars after being left behind.

Prof Salotti's scientific paper takes us one small step - at a snail's space - closer to making cities in space possible.

He said: "What is the feasibility of survival on another planet and being self-sustaining?

"This question is of particular importance for the future of space conquest and perhaps also for the future of humanity in general.

"I show here that a mathematical model can be used to determine the minimum number of settlers and the way of life for survival on another planet, using Mars as the example.

"It is based on the comparison between the time requirements to implement all kinds of human activities for long term survival and the available time of the settlers.

"An important parameter of the model is called the sharing factor, which allows some reduction of time requirements per individual if, for example, the activity concerns the construction of an object that can be shared by several individuals.

"For survival on Mars, some assumptions are made for the organization of the settlers and engineering issues.

"The minimum number of settlers has been calculated and the result is 110 individuals."

The Bordeaux Institut National Polytechnique expert says survival depends on access to natural resources and people's working time requirements being less than their working time capacity.

For instance, can settlers produce enough commodities and tools before their existing supplies run out.

He assumes support from Earth has been cut off due to war, a lack of resources, or the settlers declaring an independent Martian republic.

His factors are the number of settlers, what living conditions are acceptable, the main engineering choices for agriculture, industry and life support, and how resources would be shared and organised.

Prof Salotti stresses this is a hypothesis using Mars as a case study, "a rough estimate with numerous assumptions and uncertainties".

US billionaire Elon Musk is pumping cash into his SpaceX programme in hope of one day colonising Mars.

He recently sent the first commercial rocket carrying astronauts to the international space station.

Sabby1:
Agriculture, industry and record breaking are the keys to gaining the attention of people in starting a civilization in Mars. The scientists should plant crops and rear animals there first and many will consider going there without being compelled to do so. So many people will also want to go there to engrave their name in the book of records.

For me, I am not willing to go, not even for a price

Eife:
Abeg where can I sign up

Macsjebs:

They could form a country and name it after you, how about that?

Macsjebs:

You register through me, I am the country representative for Nigeria

Note: registration isn't free and no guarantee that you will be selected even after payment of registration fee coz all applicants will be made to undergo survival screening test and only 2 slots allocated to Nigeria

Sabby1:

Nigerians will still rig the selection process

Macsjebs:

Selection process will be just to fulfil righteousness, the richest will take the slots even if they won't go, they would just reserve the space and buy land there till things become normal

Macsjebs:

You register through me, I am the country representative for Nigeria

Note: registration isn't free and no guarantee that you will be selected even after payment of registration fee coz all applicants will be made to undergo survival screening test and only 2 slots allocated to Nigeria

meobizy:
As usual, a lot of people have to die first before we get the hang of surviving on the red planet. Nairalanders, are any of you mentally prepared to etch your name into the history books? I can, I give zero fvcks.

Macsjebs:
Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/science/just-110-humans-would-needed-22217805

cc: lalasticlala, mynd44, dominique

pmoye:
I want to check something... Would you carry gay and lesbians to Mars? If yes, how will they reproduce? And how will the human species survive?

Palehair:

Ever heard of surrogacy or artificial insemination?.... Yeah, look it up. Google is free. A gay man don't have to sleep with a lesbian to have a child. He ejaculates into a cup and its injected in the woman, shikena. It's not rocket science and no need of the traditional way

pmoye:
Isn't that ... wait, hypocrisy? Las las a gay man still needs a lesbian woman to make babies. Wonderful.

Even then they will need to go to Mars with so many cups and syringes ni yen o.

And thanks, I already know a lot about artificial insemination, perhaps more than you ever will.
TECH

pmoye:
Isn't that ... wait, hypocrisy? Las las a gay man still needs a lesbian woman to make babies. Wonderful.

Even then they will need to go to Mars with so many cups and syringes ni yen o.

And thanks, I already know a lot about artificial insemination, perhaps more than you ever will.

Palehair:

And who told you, all straight people want kids?

Then why did you ask the question at first? One's sexuality is no obstacle to having kids, this is the 21st century, I know straight couples who don't want kids and gay people can still have kids the natural way, they jerk off, when they are about to burst in, they burst into the lesbian's vagina.