/sci/ - Science & Math

>everyone is creaming their pants at the idea of colonizing mars meanwhile back here on Earth we've barely even colonized Antarctica
>an entire continent is home to less than 2,000 people
>no space travel needed, just hardened seaports and airstrips

Before we go to Mars, should we set up an "International Antarctic Colony", as both a trial run for planetary colonization, and a species security measure in case a catastrophe fucks up the other 6 continents? Antarctica is unironically easier to colonize than Mars, because unlike the latter humans do not need to bring oxygen, water and pressurized habitats. We do however need habitats that can effectively withstand the bitter cold and increased UV radiation from being right under the ozone hole. We also need to be able to set up sealed botanical systems that allow us to grow food in an environment where virtually no plant on Earth can survive. The only truly feasible energy source would be nuclear, and perhaps wind can be a secondary source.

I am aware that Antarctica is currently protected by the Antarctic Treaty System but we could potentially amend that to allow peaceful international collaborative colonization and resource extraction but only if such activities do not harm the Antarctic environment or the other 6 continents. And since Antarctica has enormous reserves of coal deposits (currently more than the rest of the world combined), naturally the coal lobby will try to get their foot in the door so we'll have to tell them to go fuck themselves.

Y/N?