June 2, 2013

78,000 People Want to Die on Mars. Do You?

Since late April, the not-for-profit organization, Mars One, has been flooded with applications for a one-way ticket to colonize Mars in 2023.

bigthinkeditor

The not-for-profit organization, Mars One, has received some 78,000 applications for a one-way ticket to colonize Mars in 2023. The key word here, of course, is one. Not round trip – one-way.

What do you think?

Do you want to die on Mars?

Strange Maps

The Indian Ocean has the world’s largest gravity hole. Now we know why

Seventy-five years after the anomaly's discovery, scientists have finally figured out why sea levels are so much lower here.

A woman is standing in front of many emojis.

Perception Box

In your feelings? Turns out, we all experience emotions differently

Biology plays an important role in emotional reactions, but neuroscientist Kristen A. Lindquist posits that our culture is just as influential.

▸

7 min

—

with

Kristen Lindquist

Perception Box

Unlock your inner math genius, in 4 minutes

Yes, you CAN be a “math person” — as long as you follow these learning techniques.

▸

4 min

—

with

Po-Shen Loh

A painting of orange and red circles on a blue background, displaying randomness in its arrangement.

Life

Three places on Earth where life might have started

Ancient organic chemistry.

A yellow and black snake with a black background.

Why the wrong people end up in power

“Only a narcissist would want to become president.” This is the psychology of an authoritarian unpacked.

▸

11 min

—

with

Brian Klaas

Up Next

Surprising Science

Is it Safe to Use Recreational Marijuana?

Proponents of marijuana use have enjoyed a string of successes lately as both Washington and Colorado voted to legalize the use recreational use of the drug in the November 2012 election.