A City on Mars audiobook cover - Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through?
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A City on Mars

Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through?

Kelly Weinersmith & Zach Weinersmith

★ 3.5 / 5(51 ratings)
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Categories:
Society & CultureTechnology & the FutureScience

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Key Takeaways from A City on Mars

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A City on Mars
Space Settlement Rationales+
Choosing a Destination+
Habitat and Survival+
Reproduction in Space+
Space Law and Politics+
The Ultimate Reality Check+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
According to the text, why is the idea of getting rich from rare space minerals likely flawed?
  • A. Mining equipment cannot operate efficiently in zero gravity environments.
  • B. Earth-based governments have banned the import of extraterrestrial materials.
  • C. If a rare mineral were brought back in large quantities, it would quickly lose its value, much like aluminum did on Earth.
  • D. The Outer Space Treaty mandates that all mined resources must be distributed equally among nations.
Question 2 of 7
After evaluating oversold rationales, the text identifies two 'fair reasons' for space settlement. What are they?
  • A. Solving Earth's overpopulation and discovering new, clean energy sources.
  • B. Increasing humanity's resilience against long-term existential threats and fulfilling our intrinsic desire to explore.
  • C. Uniting humanity against common extraterrestrial threats and establishing off-world manufacturing.
  • D. Creating a utopian society free from earthly laws and preserving Earth's biodiversity.
Question 3 of 7
While Mars has water and Earth-like seasons, what specific hazard makes its soil dangerous to human settlers, especially children?
  • A. High concentrations of radioactive uranium.
  • B. An abundance of perchlorate dust that can cause developmental and thyroid issues.
  • C. Corrosive sulfuric acid deposits left by ancient volcanic activity.
  • D. Airborne silicon particles that immediately shred human lung tissue.
Question 4 of 7
Why does the text suggest that thriving, glass-domed greenhouses on other planets are 'pure fantasy'?
  • A. The glass would be shattered by the high winds of constant planetary storms.
  • B. They would bake the residents and crops while failing to block deadly space radiation.
  • C. Manufacturing glass requires resources that cannot be found on the Moon or Mars.
  • D. The low gravity would cause the glass domes to slowly expand and lose structural integrity.
Question 5 of 7
What lesson does the text draw from the Biosphere 2 experiment in the late 1980s?
  • A. Closed habitats amplify social tensions and power struggles among isolated crew members.
  • B. Artificial ecosystems can easily replicate Earth's biodiversity if given enough time.
  • C. Composting human waste in a closed loop is biologically impossible.
  • D. Humans cannot survive without meat protein for longer than a year.
Question 6 of 7
What do animal experiments conducted in space reveal about extraterrestrial reproduction?
  • A. Animals adapt surprisingly well, producing healthier offspring due to lower gravity.
  • B. Reproduction is completely impossible, as conception never occurs in zero gravity.
  • C. Offspring conceived in space suffer from increased abnormalities, mortality rates, and developmental issues.
  • D. Space radiation accelerates the gestation period, causing animals to give birth twice as fast.
Question 7 of 7
What is a major flaw of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST) highlighted in the text?
  • A. It strictly prohibits any private companies from traveling to space.
  • B. It contains convoluted and vague wording that leaves gaps regarding liability and resource mining.
  • C. It allows nations to claim sovereignty over entire planets as long as they establish a base there first.
  • D. It requires all space-faring nations to share their technological advancements with the rest of the world.

A City on Mars — Full Chapter Overview

A City on Mars Summary & Overview

A City on Mars (2023) explores what would really happen if humans were to settle in space. Would we live up to the great promise of starting life anew on another planet? Or would we mess it all up, as usual? This engaging and funny guide answers every question imaginable about the prospects of space life – from making babies to interplanetary legal systems.

Who Should Listen to A City on Mars?

  • Aspiring astronauts and space explorers 
  • Science fiction fans fascinated by speculative futures
  • Armchair philosophers and ethicists intrigued by thought experiments

About the Author: Kelly Weinersmith & Zach Weinersmith

Kelly Weinersmith is a behavioral ecologist and adjunct at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Her husband Zach Weinersmith is an American cartoonist and writer best known for his long-running webcomic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal. Together, the couple has co-authored the bestselling book Soonish.

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