Editor's note: All opinions, columns and letters reflect the views of the individual writer and not necessarily those of the IDS or its staffers. Rovers on Mars have made exciting finds and sensational headlines since bellbottom jeans were fashionable.

This isn’t just another Mars update — it’s a warning sign. Plans are no longer about visiting Mars, but about staying there, permanently. Once humans establish a colony, Earth stops being our only home — and that changes everything.