A few months ago, the idea of colonizing Mars was once again propelled into the limelight, largely due to Elon Musk’s ambitious claims that humanity could land on the red planet in the next few years and build a self-sustaining city within the next two decades. While Musk’s vision sparked both excitement and skepticism, a new book has since emerged that critically examines the feasibility of Mars colonization—and it has just won the esteemed Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize.
Titled A City on Mars, the book by American authors Dr. Kelly Weinersmith, a biosciences lecturer, and Zach Weinersmith, creator of the popular webcomic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal, approaches Mars colonization with an interdisciplinary blend of science, humor, and skepticism. It addresses the myriad scientific, political, legal, and ethical challenges humanity would face in establishing a colony on Mars, ultimately challenging Musk’s claims with a grounded, evidence-based perspective.
The £25,000 prize was awarded to A City on Mars at a Royal Society in London ceremony. The judging panel, chaired by John Hutchinson, a professor of evolutionary biomechanics, praised the book for its “incredibly ambitious cross-disciplinary perspective,” which guides readers through the complex realities of space settlement. Hutchinson noted, “While a city on Mars may be centuries away, the Weinersmiths’ book underscores the importance of scientific and technological advancements here on Earth as essential groundwork for such a lofty endeavor.”
The Weinersmiths’ work highlights that while the dream of Mars colonization is not imminent, pursuing space exploration offers valuable lessons and advancements for humanity. The book suggests that the initial steps toward space settlement should focus on scientific development and sustainability here on Earth, reinforcing the notion that our home planet remains the most viable and precious environment for human life. This perspective aligns with recent scientific thought, emphasizing that a self-sustaining city on Mars is still a distant goal requiring significant advancements.
Kelly and Zach Weinersmith are no strangers to tackling complex topics with wit and intelligence; they first collaborated on Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That’ll Improve And/Or Ruin Everything in 2017. The couple joins the ranks of past Trivedi Prize winners like Jared Diamond, Stephen Hawking, and Ed Yong, whose works have sparked public interest and debate around scientific discovery.
The Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize, first awarded in 1988, has become one of the world’s most respected science awards, honoring books that make significant scientific topics accessible to the public. This year’s shortlist included Eve by Cat Bohannon, Everything Is Predictable by Tom Chivers, Your Face Belongs to Us by Kashmir Hill, The Last of Its Kind by Gísli Pálsson, and Why We Die by Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan, all of whom will receive £2,500 in recognition of their contributions.
While A City on Mars invites readers to reconsider the hype around Mars colonization, it also celebrates the scientific process, demonstrating that even the most outlandish visions require serious groundwork, exploration, and humility.