> People don't want to live in Antarctica or the bottom of the ocean right now, and these environments are much more survivable than the Moon or Mars, and more economically feasible to boot. Why is anything going to change?
Absolutely but I think you underestimate human desire for adventure and breaking boundaries. Living on the arctic is not something that really push the boundaries on anything.
Helping to establish a human presence on another planet is something a lot of people would find meaningful. Why by another cog in the wheel among 7 billion other people? Why not go to Mars instead a make a significant difference?
Be among the few names who established the first colonies and secured humanity's presence on an alien world?
> Nothing is going to be growing on Mars either, outside of pressurized chambers, which, in the event of a loss of pressure, will kill everyone inside. The atmosphere is so thin that you really aren't gaining anything by not just bringing the carbon with you.
Yes you gain something, are you kidding? How practical is it to have to send a spacecraft to earth every time you need to expand your farm?
With Mars you don't have to. Initially you will. But Mars has all the resources to build everything we have on earth. All resources for expanding farms on Mars exist on the planet.
> which, in the event of a loss of pressure, will kill everyone inside.
It is not like you immediately die when there is a breach. For a large dome, there will be plenty of time to fix the leak.