Science & Technology

Eric Hinterman: How going to Mars improves life on Earth | TED

Memory foam, air purifiers, scratch-resistant lenses: these are just a few of the everyday items originally developed for space missions. Aerospace engineer Eric Hinterman invites us to dream big and imagine what technological advancements could come next, explaining why establishing a human presence on Mars is a big step for life on Earth — and…

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Memory foam, air purifiers, scratch-resistant lenses: these are just a few of the everyday items originally developed for space missions. Aerospace engineer Eric Hinterman invites us to dream big and imagine what technological advancements could come next, explaining why establishing a human presence on Mars is a big step for life on Earth — and a giant leap toward becoming a space-faring species.

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54 Comments

  1. R S

    February 15, 2022 at 9:53 pm

    Ship all the convicted murderers and child pedophiles to Mars.

  2. Wanderer at Home

    February 15, 2022 at 10:13 pm

    Of course, not a single word about the enormous amounts of money that this enterprise would require.

    • Corey Suffield

      February 16, 2022 at 1:20 am

      currently less than .5% of the U.S. GDP, yeah real enormous

  3. Marimisty - Biowonders

    February 15, 2022 at 10:18 pm

    What about not destroying Earth?

  4. MIDNI8SUN

    February 15, 2022 at 10:27 pm

    I vote for all the billionaires to live the dream of migrating to Mars asap and never come back… It will help the rest of us here on Earth for sure 👍

  5. Antoine D

    February 15, 2022 at 10:27 pm

    Everything with this video is wrong. The speaker is using inappropriate comparison (because some civilisation disappeared on an unknown island due to a volcanic eruption means that we should be worry the same happens to the whole of humanity?) and false logic (because some technologies where developed via space exploration means they would have no been developed otherwise?) to justify an endeavour that makes very little sense in an age where people should focus on problems here on earth rather than on fantasising on becoming a multi-planet species.

  6. Serpent@Eden

    February 15, 2022 at 10:34 pm

    It will be a looong time before anyone gets to Mars. Until then, woke gits have probably convinced NASA that space exploration is racist, or Elon Musk has filled lower orbit with space trash, sorry, internet satellites that nobody needs, and nothing can leave earth anymore anyway.

  7. Sven B

    February 15, 2022 at 10:34 pm

    I would never go to mars. I guess im just not secure enough to guarantee myself that ill ever come back again.

  8. B Kalita

    February 15, 2022 at 10:44 pm

    Great work with MOXIE. I have a few questions,
    1. Is there any plan for deployment of MOXIE on earth? It can do wonders I assume.
    2. Invasion from other species – we believe species from outer space could be much more intelligent than us. Why haven’t they done any harm to us yet, the earth is pretty damn old, the universe is even much older! Do we have any proof of their existence yet?
    3. Saving humanity sounds great ( although humanity refers to qualities that we often don’t possess). How much work is being done considering the habitats of other species, to save the whole ecosystem, instead of just men?
    4. Just a comment, exploration is primitive human nature. But the irony is the pandemic was a side-effect of globalization. We always want to find something new, more exciting, yet, we don’t know half the species dead or alive on earth!
    5. Solar system is worth time and energy, for sure! We learned a lot from the moon and the space so far. But what is the current financial investment ratio for exploration outside the solar system and inside the solar system? Are we scientifically equipped enough to deal with the first? Outer species won’t come from within the solar system I assume.
    6. What are the economical and sales aspects of the Mars mission? ( Was not highlighted). If being rich enough to afford a place on the Mars and the Moon is a criteria for short listing, I don’t think what would survive would be humanity.
    7. Based on recent data from several countries , I am assuming the population on earth has reached a plateau. What makes you think people would want to leave for Mars to live in the desert if we can make a sustainable future right here?
    We have never been a good species on earth, we never learned to live with the nature and the other species. We just cared about ourselves. Or actually, we are not the best species ( probably the worst). So I don’t think Mars will have a bright future with humans on it. I am a chemist, I believe in curiosity, exploration and inventions, and I am impressed with MOXIE. I just struggled a lot in the why we need to do this on Mars right now explanation part. Thanks!

  9. Grozny Entertainment

    February 15, 2022 at 10:45 pm

    We can’t make it to the south pole for more than two hours

  10. Grozny Entertainment

    February 15, 2022 at 10:46 pm

    Wait did he just solved the carbon dioxide problem? So much of solving the global warming. Naa let’s use it on Mars instead. So much bulshit

  11. Clive Smith

    February 15, 2022 at 10:51 pm

    BOLLOCKS. Mining monopolies are the real reason. Greed.

  12. Clive Smith

    February 15, 2022 at 10:56 pm

    Throughout the history of Humanity, there was not a single event big enough to destroy us,
    which is why we are still here.
    The times of enormous asteroids, gigantic explosions and deadly viruses are gone.
    We can, now, protect Humanity.

  13. Sergey Yastrebov

    February 15, 2022 at 11:02 pm

    I would definitely support sending some people to Mars, one way, and that would make life on earth much better 😀

  14. notboredrn

    February 15, 2022 at 11:10 pm

    I hope there’s a species living on mars that will come wipe us all as soon as we get there

  15. Daniel Olivares

    February 15, 2022 at 11:15 pm

    I’m drowning in bull sh..

  16. Windy Gomes

    February 15, 2022 at 11:21 pm

    “Sometimes we make bad decisions in life.”

    Like going to a planet covered with toxic perchlorate? Would that qualify as a good decision, or bad?

  17. Chris Gabriel

    February 15, 2022 at 11:26 pm

    yeah and maybe the reason that volcano erupted was because the people of that island were using their vast knowledge and experience to perpetuate a system of suffering where they force children’s hands to build the very machines that enslave them, destroying the biodiversity and sustainability of their island in the process. maybe if those same people, so ready and willing to inflict pain for profit, and destruction for selfish gain, had left their island to explore they would have survived, only to decimate the lands, cultures, and peoples of those they came into contact with. Maybe they had already done this countless times, over centuries and still they choose their shiny objects and cute animal videos over the suffering of their fellow human. Maybe the volcano was needed to give every other living creature on that planet a chance.

    Maybe you could spend your own immense knowledge focusing on how to decrease the Co2 in our atmosphere instead of how to make oxygen out of Mars’, or removing the idea of greed from our species. Do it for your own children who may someday live in a world where we can grow into other planets instead of harvesting them for all they are worth.

  18. Miguel Matos

    February 15, 2022 at 11:28 pm

    For researching porpoises maybe, but for Humanity’s Sake, it won’t change anything. We have bigger problems on earth, that even we don’t want to face, still. Why would it be any better on another planet? Humanity needs to live well and in Harmony with the planet. People now a days are so sick of each other and sometimes even them selves, why would this be diferente on another planet, please tell me. Especially on a planet that is not our home base and doesn’t have the best resources for our survival and evolution as a species.

  19. Marca Eme Equiz

    February 15, 2022 at 11:36 pm

    sorry i dont agree… your cayon has no blue sky… and imagine if you create for earth an not for space…???

  20. Zakaria Ali

    February 15, 2022 at 11:50 pm

    Okay why don’t we send all the billionaires and trillionaires way from earth to mars😅

  21. Zhighest Zvibe

    February 16, 2022 at 12:15 am

    If.. to mars.. A scenario like the movie “Elysium” would happen for sure.

  22. Email Ellis

    February 16, 2022 at 12:21 am

    How to create chocolate Mars bar you go and have a chocolate Mars bar and shut up your mind

  23. Sin Amos

    February 16, 2022 at 12:29 am

    Get back to the moon first. Who is funding this vaporware?

  24. Overonator

    February 16, 2022 at 12:58 am

    Show that we can even establish a permanent base the moon before we try Mars.

  25. samoht larpak

    February 16, 2022 at 1:21 am

    And just like that the fictional story of doom becomes a reality.

  26. R R

    February 16, 2022 at 10:12 am

    Dinosaurs went extinct, because they didn’t have space program.

    • Winter Solstice Witch

      February 16, 2022 at 9:13 pm

      1+1=2. lets go to space and not be like those dinosaur losers.

  27. anord kiri

    February 16, 2022 at 10:15 am

    Space Jail

  28. आदित्यAditya मेहेंदळेMehendale #BringBackDislikes

    February 16, 2022 at 10:33 am

    Not that I disagree, but here’s a counterpoint: Consider the technological improvements brought about by WW2. That doesn’t mean we should start a WW3. It’s an excellent idea to backup your PC, but crucial to clean the malware _before_ doing so.

    • Winter Solstice Witch

      February 16, 2022 at 8:44 pm

      excellent response haha

  29. Cotton Kitty

    February 16, 2022 at 10:37 am

    omg hes got a wife hes such a simp

  30. Davos.

    February 16, 2022 at 10:45 am

    What about the trillions of dollar it gonna take?

  31. Self-Law

    February 16, 2022 at 11:09 am

    The earth is a much more beautiful place than MARS. Thanks but Im very happy here.

  32. Manuel Berenguer Rojas

    February 16, 2022 at 12:37 pm

    We go to Mars, Mars colony becomes independent, war erupts… the end.🤣

  33. Stins Varning

    February 16, 2022 at 12:50 pm

    The number one mistake people do when reacting to this is comparing it to all other problems on earth.

    Why Mars is exciting, is because it’s uncharted territory where human ingenuity gets to flourish. There’s very few rules. No institutions hundred of years old telling you what you can’t do.

    Things move very slowly on earth. Because we are here already. Our problems have been identified since a long time ago. Yet we are fantastically bad at solving them. Usually because there’s always someone benefitting from the problems existing and we’re awful at helping said people move on to a different occupation or move them physically to a different location. If you feel space takes up too much time and attention, think about the problems you yourself think are more important. Then how long we’ve been trying to solve them. The answer will be decades. Multiple different politicians, parties and an insane amount of broken promises.

    Space exploration generates far more progress in a shorter period of time. Some inventions have been so awesome they can’t be ignored and they’ve made everyone’s live better. Space equals humans unchained.

    Meanwhile, reflect on if you yourself and your lack of flexibility is part of why Earths problems never change. Maybe stop voting in the same politicians you’ve always voted for. Self reflection goes a long way to solve our most pressing problems.

  34. sakshi negi

    February 16, 2022 at 1:35 pm

    Earth was always a good place to live. It didn’t ask anything of us and gave us everything. But we destroyed it in every possible way.
    I don’t think humans should go to other plantes untill they learn to cherish earth.
    We don’t deserve better.

    • Novruz Gurbanov

      February 17, 2022 at 4:34 am

      By Earth do you mean the planet or creatures living on this planet? Cuz, planet doesn’t care in whatever state it is lol.

  35. The American American

    February 16, 2022 at 1:47 pm

    2021 NASA budget: 23.3 Billion dollars
    2021 military budget: 705.4 Billion dollars

    NASA budget is 3.3% of the money we spend on build bombs and drones to murder brown people in the middle east.
    Don’t anyone EVER ask me again “hOw ARe wE GoNnA pAy FOr iT?” when it comes to ANYTHING other than the military!

  36. 10secondsrule

    February 16, 2022 at 3:20 pm

    Humanity just can’t wait to mess up the rest of the solar system… the closest organism to compare us to is a virus. We should be banned from leaving this planet for the good of the rest of the universe.

  37. 10secondsrule

    February 16, 2022 at 3:23 pm

    Whoever pays for this is going to set up the rules. And people paying for this are from earth. What you are saying makes no real sense in practice.

  38. Fuchsfalke

    February 16, 2022 at 3:46 pm

    Humans has forever been tribal and hostile towards each other. With a Mars-Colony, we can finally start nuking other people with a chance of winning.

  39. Mr Ulug'bek TV | Official

    February 16, 2022 at 3:52 pm

    It is amazing. It is wonderful. This video is useful our. It is channel N1 in the world

  40. Gelo Cruz

    February 16, 2022 at 4:13 pm

    Jirou

  41. malcom gordon

    February 16, 2022 at 7:44 pm

    Ted you know this, sound quality is EVERYTHING, if I’m ment to LISTEN to you

  42. Chris Montgomery

    February 16, 2022 at 10:44 pm

    This is a fire presentation… Let’s go to Mars, guys!

  43. Baldwin

    February 17, 2022 at 8:36 am

    Here are the reasons you shouldn’t go to mars: 1975, 1982, 1991 and 2009

  44. Tom Nook

    February 17, 2022 at 11:37 am

    I would love to take a spaceship tour around Sol before I die.

  45. me

    February 17, 2022 at 1:28 pm

    Why would anyone want a virus to spread and survive? Let it die so that it can’t do any more problems anywhere else after destroying the finest planet there is.

    There is nothing worse than humans on universe because we do it with conscience and we will never stop destroying to be honest. It’s all because of our greed and apathy to others.

  46. {-_-} APEX PREDATOR 101

    February 17, 2022 at 2:11 pm

    Or… you could just FIX & IMPROVE the 🌎

    Nonsensical analogy to the mars fanatics: To learn how to clean MY house better, I clean somebody else’s house first…

  47. nashbeuh

    February 17, 2022 at 10:54 pm

    The sound is really bad. Didn’t dare to watch your video more than 5 seconds because of that.

  48. fr1skycat

    February 18, 2022 at 6:04 am

    Sure settling Mars will help improve life on Earth, but who is going to be living on Earth and who is going to do the hard work in terraforming Mars? Like his wife said, who would want to live on Mars? Those desperate enough to venture to and live in a hostile environment like Mars. Maybe we should make sure our society on Earth is equitable before we spread this inequity plaguing our planet across the solar system?

  49. Mit

    February 18, 2022 at 2:31 pm

    So it’s the usual 2 and only arguments I’ve heard for spreading into space NOW . Don’t put your eggs in one basket, and technology research in one area accidentally benefits other areas of life.

    Which are alright in the abstract, but the first one is timed wrongly because you’ll just be putting rotten eggs in many baskets, and you deplete your resources for baskets irreversibly in modern times . So figure out how not to make rotten eggs and recycle your baskets in the first place, then deal with such an enormous challenge as spreading into the stars/other planets.

    And the other point is just inefficient , unpredictable and serendipitous . Just directly work on the problems you have and directly discover tech/methods to deal with them. Not accidentally while working on something else.

  50. Teehee

    February 18, 2022 at 3:46 pm

    I don’t know about y’all, but the idea of the human race dying out is comforting to me. Mother Nature can reclaim herself.

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