Future Mars Colonists Face Psychological Minefield

I'll give you an A for effort PW; but humans dwell on ways to kill each other now; I really can't imagine what would happen without water and a breathable atmosphere.

Sounds like a good place to build a socialist utopia. I'll chip in on the spaceship.

When somebody asks "What planet are you from, anyway?" you'll now have to think twice. For some, this might be psychologically daunting.

There is also the legal minefield to explore. Consider the following:

• If someone were born on Mars and travelled to Earth, would that person need a passport to gain entry?
• What rights of residence would that individual have in countries on Earth?
• How would the extradition policies operate were that individual to have carried out some form of relevant misdemeanour?
• What rights of inheritance would that individual and other colonists have to property on another planet?

It sounds as though it is about time to consider these things, given Mars One's admirable ambitions.

Good point.

There will be real Martians.

What about legal rights? Wouldn't a colony eventually want to form their own government? That, of course, depends on their ability to sustain themselves which would be one of the ultimate goals any way. But the infrastructure would have to be pretty big to make that happen.

How many people would it take to make a self sustaining outpost? How many tons of equipment and building materials would be required?

Lastly, you would need some way to protect the residence from their own. Imagine the psychological effect of building a jail, knowing that it might be necessary to use it despite the selection process that was used to pick out the most "stable" people possible. And what about the long term effects of reduced gravity? I'll bet the average life expectancy on Mars is much shorter than on Earth.

They will need lawyers.

If they have lawyers, they are guaranteed to go bonkers in the first year. What laws apply on Mars anyway?