bushidone

My point is that we might not solve those problems even if all resources are directed there. It makes sense to hedge because our survival is too important to risk with 'all our eggs in one basket'.

You bring up fair questions, but questions that are likely to always be there and never answered. At the end of the day, if we become extinct, all these questions are superfluous anyway.

Space exploration is, quite literally, a moon shot. But it's one that could give us the space (pun intended) to keep trying to solving the rest of the issues.

I think the simple answer is 'hedging'.

Cancer, hunger and the like are unlikely to kill the entire human race in one go. A climate event or asteroid could, which would render all other efforts redundant. Mars exploration means hedging the survival of our species.

A diverse portfolio is where the smart money is.