‘Vaccines over Mars’: Bill Gates takes dig at Elon Musk’s space ambitions

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has stated categorically that he will not participate in the "billionaire space race," believing that funding vaccines are more crucial than colonising Mars. This statement has been seen as a swipe at Twitter CEO Elon Musk and his aspirations. Gates said in an interview with the British broadcaster BBC that although he does not consider Musk a "great philanthropist," given his "ingenuity," he might develop into one. "At the end of the day - other than going to Mars a few times, which might cost a little bit - I don't think he'll want to spend it on himself."

The billionaire was responding to a query from journalist Amol Rajan about whether Musk would be persuaded to join the group of "mega-philanthropists" that includes Bill Gates, investment guru Warren Buffet, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who have all donated a sizable portion of their fortune to charitable foundations.

In response to Musk's Mars expedition, Gates remarked that rather than investing money in an otherworldly human colony, the measles vaccine can be purchased and distributed "Save lives for the price of $1,000 each. He plainly warned, "don't go to Mars," calling a trip there "very expensive."

Gates praised Tesla's accomplishments even if they were unrelated to philanthropy. He also commented how artificial intelligence could "dramatically" alter humankind.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a nonprofit organisation established by Gates and his ex-wife Melinda French-Gates, has invested billions in the fight against polio and in the study and creation of vaccinations for underdeveloped countries.

Musk has previously stated his desire to establish a multi-planetary civilisation and send people to Mars by the year 2025 via crewed missions carried out by his business SpaceX. Bezos, who is competing in the space race, had his business Blue Origin's rocket ship, New Shepard, launch its maiden crewed voyage in 2021.

The relationship between Musk and Gates has not always been good. After a leaked text revealed Musk accused Gates of shorting Tesla in 2022, the two men decided against working together to address the climate crisis.

A US jury found Musk not guilty of fraud on Friday, finding that his firm and his tweets from 2018 about raising money to turn Tesla into a private corporation didn't mislead investors.

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