It only takes 22 people to colonize Mars

The concept of living on Mars has been covered in many sci-fi movies and books, but the idea seems to be getting closer to becoming a reality. According to a study published in the journal ArXiv prepress, To establish a settlement and colony on Mars requires a group of at least 22 individuals with special abilities.

Since the natural environment of Mars is completely hostile to humans, there are many logistical challenges for humanity to establish a safe settlement on the red planet. Even space agencies like NASA and ESA are already planning trips to Mars; Not to mention space companies like Bigelow Aerospace, which are already building inflatable houses that can be used as residences.

In a study conducted at George Mason University in Fairfax, USA, a team of scientists estimated that it would take 22 people to start colonizing Mars. Until then, other researchers believed it A group of at least 110 people would be required to create a functional dwelling on the red planet.

“Establishing a human settlement on Mars is an incredibly complex engineering problem. The inhospitable nature of the Martian environment requires that any habitat be largely self-sufficient. In addition to extracting some essential minerals and water, the colonists helped regenerate the Earth and meet its technological needs. They will also depend on being met by means.”

22-person colony on Mars

The estimation was defined using the Agent Based Modeling (ABM) computational model created to precisely analyze the required number of people in a successful colony. The model makes an analysis based on interactions between people, objects, places, and time.. It is important to emphasize that the study has not yet been published in any scientific journal and has not undergone peer-review.

In addition to using the computational model, scientists analyzed historical data on high-performing teams in remote, high-stress environmentsSuch as submarines, Arctic expeditions, International Space Station (ISS) and wars. The study also took into account key personality traits classified as neurotic, reactive, assertive, and pleasant. Pleasant individuals showed the highest probability of survival in such scenarios.

“We found that there is a minimum initial population of 22 individuals required to maintain a viable colony size over the long term. We also found that the compatible personality type is the most likely to survive. Contrary to other literature, the minimum number of people with all personality types that can lead to sustainable settlement is in the hundreds.” We found that instead of tens,” the study concludes.

Did you like the content? Therefore, at TecMundo always keep up to date with the latest discoveries in astronomy, and also take the opportunity to see the interactive mosaic depicting the red planet in detail.