RT.com
04 Feb 2023, 11:43 GMT+10
A real philanthropist would abandon Mars dreams for vaccines, the Microsoft mogul says
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates believes the SpaceX CEO's self-declared mission to save humanity from extinction by colonizing Mars is not a good use of Elon Musk's fortune, which would be better spent on goals like mass vaccination to save people's lives back on Earth.
Gates said he does not consider Musk to be a real philanthropist, while acknowledging in an interview with the BBC released on Friday that some of his endeavors, like the electric vehicle company Tesla, "are having a positive impact."
"I think some day he will join the ranks of philanthropists using his ingenuity," Gates added, because "at the end of the day" he can't possibly spend all of his money on himself, "other than going to Mars a few times, which might cost a little bit."
Gates argued that there are more immediate and pressing issues facing humanity than a Mars mission, such as mass vaccination. "It's actually quite expensive to go to Mars," he said in the interview. "You can buy measles vaccines and save lives for a thousand dollars per life saved. It just kind of grounds you, as in - don't go to Mars."
The two billionaires have had tense relations in recent years, and this is not the first time Gates has gone on the offense against the SpaceX creator. In May, media reports claimed that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation spent millions to attempt to block Musk from acquiring Twitter.
The new Twitter owner, in turn, accused Gates of hypocrisy. "Sorry but I cannot take your philanthropy on climate change seriously when you have a massive short position on Tesla," Musk wrote in a leaked private message later confirmed to be real.
Musk has made no secret of his desire for humans to colonize Mars, insisting it's the only way the species will escape a "mass extinction crisis." In a 2022 TED interview, Musk outlined his dream of sending thousands of Starship rockets to Mars by the year 2050, calling them "modern Noah's Arks," even though the spacecraft is still in its experimental phase.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Maryland Leader news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Maryland Leader.
More InformationATLANTA, Georgia: The United States is facing its worst measles outbreak in more than three decades, with 1,288 confirmed cases so...
In the past month alone, 23 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza—three more than the number of remaining living hostages held...
LONDON, U.K.: At least 13 people are believed to have taken their own lives as a result of the U.K.'s Post Office scandal, in which...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Travelers at U.S. airports will no longer need to remove their shoes during security screenings, Department of Homeland...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: An elaborate impersonation scheme involving artificial intelligence targeted senior U.S. and foreign officials in...
SLUBICE, Poland: Poland reinstated border controls with Germany and Lithuania on July 7, following Germany's earlier reintroduction...
REDMOND, Washington: Artificial intelligence is transforming Microsoft's bottom line. The company saved over US$500 million last year...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: A federal rule designed to make it easier for Americans to cancel subscriptions has been blocked by a U.S. appeals...
BASTROP, Texas: In a surprising turn at Elon Musk's X platform, CEO Linda Yaccarino announced she is stepping down, just months after...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Former British prime minister Rishi Sunak will return to Goldman Sachs in an advisory role, the Wall Street...
LONDON, U.K.: Physically backed gold exchange-traded funds recorded their most significant semi-annual inflow since the first half...
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: Some 32 percent of global semiconductor production could face climate change-related copper supply disruptions...