Society
SpaceX prepares for the Great Filter – but why?
What’s Elon Musk’s gameplan to get humans to thrive in the universe all about?

Two weeks ago, Ed Publica did a news story on Elon Musk’s tweet. It sure was a headline topic in itself. “We are mapping out a game plan to get a million people to Mars,” posted Musk. “Civilization only passes the single-planet Great Filter when Mars can survive even if Earth supply ships stop coming.”
Press releases that came in the wake of the tweet, never did engage with Musk’s invocation of – the Great Filter – which as the astronomer Seth Shostak once stated, a ‘variant on the Fermi paradox’.
The Fermi paradox was borne out of an idea proposed by the enigmatic 20th century theoretical physicist, Enrico Fermi, who posed a profound, philosophical question: If an intelligent civilization were capable of space travel, and extraterrestrial life existed, then where are they?
The question itself was a paradoxical idea. Either of course, aliens don’t exist – or if they do, then they’re hiding in plain sight, not wanting to be contacted. Perhaps in the latter case, aliens want to avoid being colonized or wiped extinct by a civilization with superior technology. No one knows what the answer is. We don’t know yet if it even is a paradox with an answer.
But the Great Filter theory, proposed by an economist, Robin Hanson in 1998 makes an interesting argument that offers a possible resolution against the Fermi paradox. Maybe life is uncommon, or can easily go extinct. There can be some factors at play to stop a civilization from thriving and spawn a population to safeguard it.
Maybe humanity’s destined to live, and then die on earth – only to live on Mars, until every resource exhausts and human genes are ferried to distant exoplanets to hopefully spawn and recreate humanity there. Or perhaps humanity’s alone amongst the trillions of stars in the universe, because someone has to make the first step to show how difficult it is for life to thrive.

Credit: Greg Rakozy / Unsplash
How feasible is this?
Musk’s prophetic vision is more his vision for humanity – reminiscent in science fiction novels and films.
There’s a line from the movie Interstellar (2014), when Michael Caine, playing an astrophysicist, says, ‘We’re not meant to save the world, we’re meant to leave it.’ In the movie, earth gets plagued by crop blight, and people starve to death when food resources are hard to sustain. Although the problem was foreseeable, we were too late to act on it. And that was the main driver of the plot. Astronauts were dispatched into a wormhole and tunnel through into a different galaxy light years away. Humanity was doomed, and so the astronauts prepared human embryos to take our place and be the Adam and Eves of their species.
The Great Filter and the Fermi paradox are at best a useful thinking exercise about the myriad ways human imagination really works.
Musk’s idea to colonize Mars makes some sense in that it’s about taking a small step to demonstrate we can demonstrate a necessary first step of survival.
But then space is cruel and indifferent. The Martian atmosphere is completely thin, with almost zero atmospheric pressure. It’s not even about the carbon dioxide in what’s left in that atmosphere – there’s just barely any atmosphere there. Musk probably is aware of this, given he has a physics background!
For instance, how do we pressurize a whole planet? The optimism is that technology can circumvent these problems.
This technology, possibly in a few decades, can seem like ‘magic’ to us. The Great Filter and the Fermi paradox are at best a useful thinking exercise about the myriad ways human imagination really works.
And until we demonstrate basic physics that works in its favor, aren’t these just wishful fantasies?
For instance, how can SpaceX ‘gameplan’ Mars’ colonization, if the company doesn’t itself survive the Great Filter test? Who else in the world is taking this seriously apart from Elon Musk?
‘Colonizing’ space
Musk’s gameplan invites more questions, since there’s barely any discussion that he leads on it.
Musk is polarizing to his critics, who question the need for expensive space exploration programs that have no direct benefit on our economy.
Musk’s usage of the term ‘colonization’ can be seen to resonate with the sentiment in the 15th century when the West discovered the rest of the world through the sea-route. However, it didn’t fare well for the rest of the world. One notable example is when Christopher Columbus, ‘discovered’ North America, when he was in search of India – he and his men began the subjugation of Native Americans.

An 1850 painting depicting Christopher Columbus (center) surrounded by people, before embarking a ship in August 1492. Credit: Wellcome Trust
Meanwhile, the Portuguese voyager Vasco da Gama arrived at the shores of India, in Kozhikode. That opened up routes for vessels of the East India Company from across Europe to trade – and then colonize Indians.
I’m not suggesting Musk has nefarious plans at play. However, what’s the chance that future government policies somehow get blindsided, or ignorant of advice from experts outside science on the political implications of space exploration?
And what better ‘gameplan’ can there really be if it starts with experts from a diversity of fields huddling together for an enlightening discussion?
Society
INM: MIT’s Bold Push to Regain America’s Productive Edge
The ambitious initiative aims at reinvigorating U.S. manufacturing with cutting-edge innovation

In a move to reshape the future of American industry, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has launched its Initiative for New Manufacturing (INM), an Institute-wide effort aimed at revitalizing U.S. manufacturing through next-generation technologies, research, education, and deep collaboration with industry.
Announced today, INM seeks to strengthen key sectors of the U.S. economy and spark nationwide job creation. The initiative will bring together MIT’s extensive research capabilities and educational resources to help companies of all sizes increase productivity and build a more resilient and human-centered manufacturing landscape.
“We want to work with firms big and small, in cities, small towns and everywhere in between, to help them adopt new approaches for increased productivity,” MIT President Sally A. Kornbluth wrote in a letter to the Institute community this morning. “We want to deliberately design high-quality, human-centered manufacturing jobs that bring new life to communities across the country.”
“We want to work with firms big and small, in cities, small towns and everywhere in between, to help them adopt new approaches for increased productivity
Kornbluth emphasized the significance of the effort, stating in a media statement: “Helping America build a future of new manufacturing is a perfect job for MIT — and I’m convinced that there is no more important work we can do to meet the moment and serve the nation now.”
Industry Collaboration
INM has already attracted strong industry support, with its first five founding consortium members — Amgen, GE Vernova, PTC, Siemens, and Sanofi — joining forces to fund initial research projects, particularly in the area of artificial intelligence for manufacturing.
“There is tremendous opportunity to bring together a vibrant community working across every scale — from nanotechnology to large-scale manufacturing,” said Anantha Chandrakasan, MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer and dean of engineering. “MIT is uniquely positioned to harness the transformative power of digital tools and AI to shape the future of manufacturing.”
The initiative will support research, education, and real-world applications — including new manufacturing labs, a “factory observatory” program to connect students with live production sites, and thematic pillars ranging from semiconductors and biomanufacturing to defense and aviation.
Workforce development is also central to INM’s mission. It will include TechAMP, a program designed to bridge the gap between technicians and engineers through collaboration with community colleges, along with AI-powered teaching tools and expanded manufacturing education on campus.
The initiative is co-directed by three MIT faculty: John Hart, head of mechanical engineering; Suzanne Berger, an Institute Professor and political scientist; and Chris Love, professor of chemical engineering. Julie Diop serves as executive director.
At a recent MIT symposium titled “A Vision for New Manufacturing,” Berger underscored the urgency of the moment: “The rationale for growing and transforming U.S. manufacturing has never been more urgent than it is today. What we are trying to build at MIT now is not just another research project. … Together, with people in this room and outside this room, we’re trying to change what’s happening in our country.”
Love added: “We need to think about the importance of manufacturing again, because it is what brings product ideas to people… There is a real urgency about this issue for both economic prosperity and creating jobs.”
Echoing the sentiment, Hart emphasized the long-term significance of the initiative: “While manufacturing feels very timely today, it is of enduring importance… Working with industry — from small to large companies, and from young startups to industrial giants — will be instrumental to creating impact and realizing the vision for new manufacturing.”
A Continuum of Commitment
INM builds on a legacy of MIT initiatives aimed at supporting manufacturing, including the 1989 book Made in America, the Production in the Innovation Economy project, and The Engine, a venture fund launched in 2016 to back hardware-based startups.
As Kornbluth noted in her letter, “We want to reimagine manufacturing technologies and systems to advance fields like energy production, health care, computing, transportation, consumer products, and more… and we want to reach well beyond the shop floor to tackle challenges like how to make supply chains more resilient, and how to inform public policy to foster a broad, healthy manufacturing ecosystem that can drive decades of innovation and growth.”
With its launch, MIT’s Initiative for New Manufacturing marks a renewed commitment to restoring American manufacturing leadership through innovation, collaboration, and education — aimed squarely at building a stronger, more equitable industrial future.
EDUNEWS & VIEWS
Harvard Pledges $250 Million for Research After Federal Funding Slash
The administration has defended the funding freeze as part of a broader campaign to address what it characterizes as pervasive anti-Semitism on campuses and to roll back diversity programs

Harvard University has announced a $250 million investment to sustain vital research programs in the face of steep federal funding cuts imposed by the Trump administration.
The move follows a sweeping $2.6 billion reduction in government grants to the Ivy League institution, citing alleged discriminatory practices and refusal to comply with federal oversight mandates. The cuts, which Harvard is actively challenging in court, have already suspended or canceled dozens of projects—some of which were considered critical to public health and technological innovation.
University President Alan Garber and Provost John Manning issued a joint statement on Wednesday, emphasizing the urgent need to protect research initiatives. “While we cannot fully offset the financial blow from halted federal support, we are committed to backing essential research during this transitional period,” they said. The university is also working with faculty to secure alternative funding channels.
Harvard has strongly criticized the federal measures, calling the termination of grants “unlawful” and accusing the administration of interfering with academic independence. The university contends that the loss of funding not only halts groundbreaking work but also threatens years of scientific progress.
At the heart of the dispute is a broader political clash over university governance. Harvard, whose endowment reached $53.2 billion in 2024, has become a focal point of the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape higher education policy. The White House has demanded greater control over admissions, hiring, and the political climate on campus—demands Harvard has resisted.
The administration has defended the funding freeze as part of a broader campaign to address what it characterizes as pervasive anti-Semitism on campuses and to roll back diversity programs. Critics argue these moves are part of a larger effort to suppress progressive academic culture and penalize dissent over U.S. foreign policy, especially in light of recent student protests against the war in Gaza.
In recent weeks, federal authorities have also taken steps to revoke visas of international students involved in these demonstrations, accusing them of ties to militant organizations—allegations civil rights groups and university leaders have strongly disputed.
With tensions between the federal government and top academic institutions mounting, Harvard’s legal challenge could set a precedent for how universities navigate political interference while safeguarding research, free speech, and academic autonomy.
Health
Robot Helps Elderly Sit, Stand, and Stay Safe from Falls
The innovation comes at a time when the United States faces a dramatic demographic shift

As America’s population ages faster than ever before, a team of engineers at MIT is turning to robotics to meet the growing eldercare crisis. Their latest invention, the Elderly Bodily Assistance Robot—or E-BAR—aims to provide critical physical support to seniors navigating life at home, potentially reducing the risk of injury and relieving pressure on a strained care system.
The innovation comes at a time when the United States faces a dramatic demographic shift. The nation’s median age has climbed to 38.9, nearly ten years older than in 1980. By 2050, the number of adults over 65 is projected to surge from 58 million to 82 million. As demand for care rises, the country is simultaneously grappling with shortages in care workers, escalating healthcare costs, and evolving family structures that leave many elderly adults without daily support.
“Eldercare is the next great challenge,” said Roberto Bolli, a graduate student in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and one of E-BAR’s lead designers, in a media statement. “All the demographic trends point to a shortage of caregivers, a surplus of elderly persons, and a strong desire for elderly persons to age in place.”
E-BAR is designed to address exactly that challenge. The mobile robot acts as a robotic support system, following a user from behind and offering both steadying handlebars and rapid intervention in case of a fall. It can support a person’s full weight and includes side airbags that inflate instantly to catch users if they begin to fall—without requiring them to wear any equipment or harnesses.
“Many older adults underestimate the risk of fall and refuse to use physical aids, which are cumbersome, while others overestimate the risk and may not exercise, leading to declining mobility,” said Harry Asada, the Ford Professor of Engineering at MIT, in a media statement. “Our design concept is to provide older adults having balance impairment with robotic handlebars for stabilizing their body. The handlebars go anywhere and provide support anytime, whenever they need.”
The robot consists of a heavy, 220-pound base equipped with omnidirectional wheels, allowing it to maneuver easily through typical home spaces. From its base, articulated bars extend and adjust to assist users in standing or sitting, and the handlebars provide a natural, unrestrictive grip. In testing, E-BAR successfully helped an older adult complete everyday movements such as bending, reaching, and even stepping over the edge of a bathtub.
“Seeing the technology used in real-life scenarios is really exciting,” said Bolli.
The team’s design, which will be presented later this month at the IEEE Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), aims to eliminate the physical constraints and stigmas often associated with eldercare devices. Their approach prioritizes both independence and safety—key values for aging Americans seeking to remain in their homes longer.
While E-BAR currently operates via remote control, the team plans to add autonomous capabilities and streamline the device’s design for home and facility use. The researchers are also exploring ways to integrate fall-prediction algorithms, developed in a parallel project in Asada’s lab, to adapt robotic responses based on a user’s real-time risk level.
“Eldercare conditions can change every few weeks or months,” Asada noted. “We’d like to provide continuous and seamless support as a person’s disability or mobility changes with age.”
As the nation prepares for the realities of an aging population, MIT’s work offers a glimpse into a future where robotics play a central role in eldercare—enhancing both quality of life and personal dignity for millions of older adults.
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