
Mars in just 15 years? European Space Agency's bold plan includes space cities and AI farmers
In an ambitious vision for the not-so-distant future, the
European Space Agency
(ESA) has unveiled a roadmap that could see humans living on
Mars
within just 15 years. The plan, outlined in ESA's new report 'Technology 2040: A Vision for the European Space Agency', imagines self-sustaining 'space oases', robotic farming systems, and autonomous infrastructure stretching across Mars, the Moon, and beyond.
ESA
emphasizes that space is no longer a frontier; it is a territory essential for scientific, economic, and environmental progress. The dream of becoming a multi-planetary species may now be closer to reality than ever.
Life on Mars: Domes, droids, and self-sufficiency
ESA envisions futuristic indoor habitats made of heat-reflective, radiation-shielding materials, where astronauts can live, work, and grow their own food. These 'space oases' will be equipped with smart sensors, autonomous AI systems, and robotic assistants to monitor the environment and handle daily tasks. The habitats aim to be entirely self-sustaining, creating power, recycling waste, and producing crops such as potatoes, rice, and leafy greens in controlled greenhouse modules.
These systems would dramatically reduce the need for costly resupply missions from Earth and allow for long-term habitation on Mars. The European agency compares this vision to science-fiction but insists it's based on practical and scalable technologies already in development.
Building a solar system economy
Beyond Mars, ESA's 2040 roadmap includes manufacturing massive space structures such as satellites and telescopes directly in orbit or on celestial bodies like the Moon. This would overcome current limitations that force spacecraft to be small enough to fit inside launch vehicles. By assembling infrastructure in space, ESA hopes to unlock new commercial opportunities and scientific breakthroughs.
The agency also proposes using space debris as raw material, embracing a circular economy model to reduce waste and create sustainable systems in orbit. Meanwhile, AI-powered spacecraft would manage themselves without human control, further accelerating space operations.
Big dreams, bigger challenges
While ESA's vision is inspiring, it acknowledges the technical and logistical hurdles ahead. No human has yet ventured beyond low Earth orbit in over five decades. Mars, with its harsh climate and 140 million mile distance from Earth, presents extreme challenges in transportation, radiation protection, and life support systems.
However, ESA believes collaboration among nations, private companies, and technological pioneers like SpaceX could make this dream achievable. With support and sustained investment, the agency insists that the next giant leap for humankind could happen as soon as 2040.

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News18
an hour ago
- News18
Tesla Shares Crash After Elon Musk Announces Foray Into Politics With American Party
Last Updated: Shares of Elon Musk's company were trading at USD 292.40, down by 7.28% on the Nasdaq stock exchange as of 12:23:08 PM EDT Tesla Shares Crash: Shares in Tesla tanked by over 7% on Monday, days after its CEO Elon announced his political entry with the launch of the American Party. Musk's announcement of his new venture came on Saturday when markets were closed. Shares of Elon Musk's company were trading at USD 292.40, down by 7.28% on the Nasdaq stock exchange as of 12:23:08 PM EDT. Musk's once-close friend, US President Donald Trump, has called his announcement 'ridiculous" and said it would sow confusion. The world's richest person — and Trump's biggest political donor in the 2024 election — had a bitter falling out with the president over his 'One Big Beautiful Bill", which he dubbed as a 'disgusting abomination". Musk has argued that the policies will add trillions of dollars to the federal budget deficit. 'When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy," Musk said on his social media platform, X, Saturday. 'Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom." Trump last week threatened to cut off the billions of dollars in subsidies that Musk's companies receive from the federal government and threatened to deport the SpaceX boss from the US. Tesla's fortunes have taken a turn in recent months as it has grappled with intensifying competition from rival EV makers and the fallout from Musk's foray into US politics. Last week, the company reported a record fall in second-quarter sales, selling 13.5% fewer vehicles compared with the same period in 2024. For that year, Tesla has also reported its first-ever annual decline in sales as a public company. The drop was small — around 1% — though it marks a striking turnaround for an automaker historically accustomed to robust sales growth. Notably, Tesla is poised to lose its title as the world's largest EV maker, based on annual sales, to Chinese automaker BYD, even though BYD has not entered the US market. Meanwhile, Musk's recent involvement at the wheel of the US government, helming the Department of Government Efficiency and spearheading mass layoffs of federal workers, has, among other controversies, sparked protests outside Tesla's showrooms worldwide. In May, Musk announced he would step down from his government position, raising hopes among investors that he will now have more time to work on his companies, which include SpaceX and X. But the billionaire's feud with Trump, and likely upcoming attempts to woo voters to his new party, have thrust him back into the political arena. Shares of Tesla nearly doubled after election day, setting a record high in mid-December thanks to investor expectations that an alliance between Trump and Musk would be beneficial for Tesla. But the controversy and blowback caused by Musk's political activities sent shares tumbling, and they've lost more than a third of their value from since. (with inputs from Reuters) First Published: July 07, 2025, 21:50 IST


Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Politics isn't rocket science: The reason Elon Musk cannot hurt Donald Trump right now – and is unlikely to do so in the future
A CNN analysis – an organisation that is equally berated by break-up bros Donald Trump and Elon Musk – summed up the current impasse, or Musk's inability to dent Trump, with the line: 'Politics isn't rocket science. If it were, President Donald Trump might have something more to worry about in his reignited feud with his estranged 'first buddy' Elon Musk. ' A few months ago, right after Trump reclaimed the White House, he couldn't stop gushing about his friend Elon. When SpaceX's Starship booster landed back on its chopstick arms after a test flight, Trump said at a campaign rally: 'Did you see the way that sucker landed today? That's the greatest thing I've ever seen. Elon is an absolute genius – nobody else could ever do that.' In 1952, Israel offered its presidency to Albert Einstein. The man who split the atom and redefined the universe's laws could have been a ceremonial head of state. Einstein declined, saying he lacked 'the natural aptitude and experience to deal properly with people.' Politics, he knew, isn't rocket science or quantum mechanics. And that's the rub. The greatest physicist of modern history turned down politics. Elon Musk, who fancies himself the Einstein of our era, is now discovering why. Musk and Trump: Rockets, Casinos, and the Art of Betrayal Elon Musk and Donald Trump were never meant to be friends for long. One built his empire launching rockets into orbit and cars down highways; the other built his by branding steaks, casinos, and tower facades with his name. For months, they operated as allies of convenience: Musk bankrolled Trump's 2024 re-election with nearly $300 million, and Trump rewarded him with sweeping powers as head of the newly minted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a role so absurd it sounded like a Shiba Inu meme come alive. Musk appeared in the Oval Office in February wielding a chainsaw on stage at CPAC to symbolise the slashing of government bloat. For a while, it worked. Trump basked in the billionaire's adulation, Musk relished the keys to the kingdom, and together they created an unholy tech-populist fusion that made Wall Street swoon. Then came the 'big, beautiful bill.' Trump pushed through his MAGA megabill – an infrastructure-cum-tax-cum-spending package that ballooned the deficit. Musk, who once championed balanced budgets and deflationary discipline, called it a 'disgusting abomination.' He threatened to primary every Republican who voted for it and set up a new political party – the America Party – to punish the betrayal. Trump, in turn, branded Musk as 'off the rails,' warning that third parties never succeed and only create 'disruption and chaos.' Their bromance shattered into a predictable feud driven by ego, ideology, and billions in threatened EV subsidies. Third Parties in America: History's Graveyard of Outsiders Trump is not wrong about history. Third parties in America are where political ambitions go to die. Theodore Roosevelt's Bull Moose insurgency in 1912 split the Republican vote, handing Woodrow Wilson the White House. George Wallace's segregationist campaign in 1968 won five states but ended with Nixon's landslide. Ross Perot, the Texas billionaire, won 19% of the popular vote in 1992 on a balanced budget platform but zero electoral votes. Ralph Nader's Green Party in 2000 siphoned just enough votes in Florida to swing the presidency to George W. Bush. America's first-past-the-post electoral system punishes split tickets. Ballot access is a bureaucratic labyrinth. Media gatekeeping and debate exclusions freeze out challengers. And the 'spoiler effect' haunts voters who might agree with a third party's ideals but fear wasting their vote. These structural barriers have buried every insurgent from the Socialist Eugene V. Debs to the Libertarian Gary Johnson. Musk's venture risks the same fate. Politics isn't rocket science. If it were, Trump might have something to worry about. But as CNN's analysis put it: 'Nothing in the explosive and now-soured flirtation of the world's richest man with politics suggests he has the magic touch to spark the kind of creative disruption in the Republican Party that he set off in the orbital and electric vehicle industries.' Why This Isn't Ceteris Paribus: Musk's X Factor Yet Musk is not a normal third-party candidate. He has two weapons no one in history possessed simultaneously: 1. Limitless Money – Musk spent nearly $300 million in 2024. That's more than Perot spent in inflation-adjusted dollars. His war chest can bankroll national petition drives, recruit insurgent candidates, and saturate swing states with advertising until the last undecided voter dreams of dogecoin. 2. The World's Largest Media Platform – Musk owns X (Twitter). Roosevelt needed newspapers, Perot needed paid infomercials, Wallace needed the Deep South's racial demagogues. Musk has 500 million monthly active users and algorithms he personally controls. He polled his followers about forming the America Party; 1.2 million voted in hours, 65% saying yes. If politics is narrative warfare, Musk owns the battlefield. His reach is unmatched. Trump's Truth Social has under 10 million monthly users. Musk has over 210 million followers himself. The asymmetry is stark. In 2016, Trump was the insurgent meme-lord on Twitter. In 2025, Musk is the overlord of X, able to amplify, censor, or bury discourse at whim. But Does He Have a Political Base? This is Musk's existential problem. As CNN noted: 'Beyond the tech world, where he used his rock star status to funnel young, disaffected male voters toward Trump, it's not clear that Musk has a broader constituency.' Musk's online fandom is massive but shallow. Tesla owners love his cars, not necessarily his politics. SpaceX fans marvel at his rockets, not his fiscal conservatism. The MAGA base is cult-like in its loyalty to Trump. Even Vice President JD Vance – once touted as a Musk ally – chose Trump when forced to pick sides. Pollster Lee Carter put it bluntly to CNN: 'Donald Trump is the one that has the huge following. Elon Musk certainly helped Donald Trump in the election… but it wasn't Elon Musk who was center-stage and I don't think that we're going to see people follow Elon Musk in the same way that we saw with the MAGA movement.' Musk's Political Failures So Far If politics were rocket science, Musk's orbital genius would be unstoppable. But his forays suggest otherwise. His most prominent individual foray – the Wisconsin Supreme Court race – was a fiasco. Musk poured millions behind a conservative candidate, only to watch her lose by 10 points. Voters recoiled from his intervention. Tesla's stock has slumped as Musk's brand becomes increasingly partisan, alienating Europe's EV market. His tenure as DOGE chief was theatrically underwhelming. The chainsaw he brandished at CPAC to symbolise cost cuts ended up symbolising something else entirely: the severing of his relationship with Trump. Trump's Fortress GOP The Republican Party remains Trump's fortress. For a decade, he has purged dissenters and fused his brand into its DNA. He turned a mainstream conservative party into an ethno-nationalist, populist machine with himself as the sun around which all orbit. Musk's America Party threatens to be the Bull Moose Redux – siphoning votes from Republicans, helping Democrats win, but never seizing power. Trump knows this. That's why he dismissed Musk's gambit with scorn rather than fear. But Musk's goal may not be to dethrone Trump. It may be to outlast him. At 53, Musk is decades younger. If Trump's empire crumbles – through scandal, age, or electoral defeat – Musk could inherit a disillusioned conservative base seeking a new anti-establishment saviour. The Einstein Principle Albert Einstein declined Israel's presidency because he knew genius in physics doesn't translate to political dexterity. Musk might yet learn the same lesson. Rockets obey gravity and thrust. Politics obeys no laws but human loyalty, prejudice, memory, and fear. Even if Musk builds the America Party into a disruptive force, he cannot run for president. The Constitution forbids foreign-born citizens from holding the office. He would need a surrogate – a puppet candidate with the charisma to galvanise voters, the obedience to follow Musk's script, and the moral flexibility to survive in politics' mud. Finding such a creature is as improbable as landing a rocket booster upright on a floating barge. But then again, Musk did that. As Trump himself once exclaimed at a rally after a Falcon Heavy landing: 'Did you see the way that sucker landed today?' Today, Trump's view has changed. He threatens Musk with executive retribution. 'DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon,' he warned ominously, suggesting presidential power could be wielded to crush Musk's companies. In any other era, such a statement might trigger impeachment hearings. In the Trump era, it was Tuesday. The Final Equation Politics isn't rocket science. That is both Trump's salvation and Musk's curse. History suggests Musk's America Party is unlikely to dethrone Trump. But history also shows third parties can wound. Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose handed the presidency to Wilson. Ross Perot arguably handed it to Clinton. Ralph Nader gifted Florida to Bush. If Musk siphons just 3–5% of Republican voters, he could hand Democrats the House in 2026 or the presidency in 2028. Trump calls Musk 'off the rails.' Perhaps. But when a rocket goes off the rails, it doesn't just crash – it explodes, taking everything nearby with it. Einstein refused power because he understood its limits. Musk craves it because he doesn't. That difference may doom his political ambitions – or make them the most dangerous third-party experiment in American history. After all, politics isn't rocket science. If it were, Elon Musk would already be president. If he wasn't South African.


Fibre2Fashion
4 hours ago
- Fibre2Fashion
Godavari Biorefineries secures EU patent for anti-cancer molecule
Godavari Biorefineries Limited (BSE: 544279 | NSE: GODAVARIB) announced that its European patent for a novel anti-cancer molecule has been validated in Spain, the United Kingdom, and as a Unitary Patent covering multiple EU member states. This milestone underscores the company's growing presence in high-impact scientific innovation, led by its dedicated Anti-Cancer Research Segment. Godavari Biorefineries' anti-cancer molecule patent has been validated in Spain, the UK, and as a Unitary Patent in the EU. Now in Phase 1a trials, the molecule shows promise against various cancers. This milestone boosts GBL's scientific innovation presence, led by Sathgen Therapeutics, and supports its broader push into biotech alongside its core bio-based businesses. The patented molecule has demonstrated efficacy against both cancer cells and cancer stem cells, marking a promising advance toward more targeted and effective cancer therapies. It has shown potential in the treatment of various cancers, including breast and prostate cancer, with encouraging efficacy and safety profiles in preclinical animal studies. The molecule is currently in Phase 1a clinical trials to assess safety in human patients with advanced solid tumors as well as in healthy volunteers. "This patent validation marks a significant milestone in our journey toward advancing original, high-quality scientific research," said Sangeeta Srivastava, Executive Director, Godavari Biorefineries Limited. "It reflects the dedication of our teams and our aspiration to contribute meaningfully to global knowledge and innovation." Godavari Biorefineries has established a global presence, exporting to over 20 countries and maintaining strong linkages with international research and development networks. The company's clinical-stage biotech division, Sathgen Therapeutics, is at the forefront of advancing novel cancer and antiviral therapies. With a lead molecule undergoing clinical trials and global patent protection, GBL is deepening its investment in translational research that addresses some of the world's most urgent health challenges. This development highlights GBL's growing diversification into advanced scientific domains, complementing its leadership in ethanol, bio-based chemicals, and renewable materials produced from agricultural feedstocks. Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged. ALCHEMPro News Desk (HU)