New Delhi: Elon Musk has denied rumors that he offered his sperm to help start a colony on Mars. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO went on X (formerly Twitter) to reject a recent New York Times report that made this claim.
Musk made a statement via X and wrote, “I have not, for what it’s worth, ‘volunteered my sperm.'” He further clarified that while colonizing Mars remains a long-term goal, SpaceX is currently focused on achieving the fundamental challenge of reaching the red planet. Furthermore, he said, “No one at SpaceX has been directed to work on a Mars city. When people have asked to do so, I’ve said we need to focus on getting there first.”
According to a report in The New York Times, Elon Musk has offered to donate his sperm to help colonize Mars as SpaceX aims to reach the planet. Musk, 53, has asked SpaceX employees over the past year to start designing a city on Mars. He has also instructed SpaceX staff to create spacesuits, plan dome homes, and research if humans can reproduce on Mars.
Musk reportedly hopes to establish a self-sufficient Martian colony and may even bioengineer new species to thrive there. His suggestions include using solar panels for energy and utilizing thermonuclear explosions to warm the planet.
Adding further, a medical team is studying whether people could have children on Mars. The Times reported that billionaire Elon Musk is interested in creating his own species on the planet. These plans might involve Musk using his sperm to help start a colony. However, it’s still uncertain if humans can reproduce on Mars. Elon Musk has previously stated that it could take 40 to 100 years to establish a self-sustaining civilization on the red planet.
Adam Watkins, associate professor of reproductive biology at the University of Nottingham, said that “studies have shown that you can send freeze-dried sperm into space sealed, like freeze-dried coffee effectively,” as reported by Business Insider.
Adding further, he explained that “You would then do something like IVF with those sperm and eggs and transfer the embryos into females who are already established at the other end,” such as in a Mars settlement.
Elon Musk’s ambitious plan to colonize Mars faces several challenges, including barren landscapes, frigid temperatures, dust storms, and an unbreathable atmosphere. Unlike NASA, which aims to send humans to Mars in the 2040s, Musk aspires to achieve this milestone much sooner.