“Invaders from Earth!”: Exploring the Possibilities of Extraterrestrial Colonization

We’ve all seen films or heard stories about the “Invaders from Mars”: aliens coming from other galaxies to colonize Earth and take advantage of its bountiful natural resources. But what if the story happened the other way around? Organizations like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and private companies like SpaceX have looked seriously at the idea of space exploration for colonization, particularly when it comes to the possibility of colonizing artificial satellites, the Moon, or our even planetary neighbor, Mars. With worries about the habitability of Earth being in jeopardy in the not-too-distant future—due to the effects of environmental degradation, lack of resources, and climate change— individuals and institutions are exploring the modern frontiers of space technology that could soon transform humankind into the “Invaders from Earth.”