/sci/ - Science & Math

What I don't get is why colonizing Mars with a lot of populated cities is something sought after or even desirable when space stations in general are a much better deal. Last I checked there is no rush to colonize Antartica, that place is still pretty much a barren wasteland and it will stay that way for good reasons, it's expensive, deadly and troublesome. Mars is even harder and has even less useful resources so, truly, why?