Should we colonize Mars or fix Earth first?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Should we colonize Mars or fix Earth first?". Your opponent's style: Richard Feynman

Fix Earth. Why should we colonize mars??

You're making the classic mistake—treating this like it's either/or. We're not choosing between Mars and Earth. SpaceX spends billions on Mars while we spend trillions on Earth problems. The budget argument collapses immediately. Here's the real thing: Mars colonization drives innovation that *fixes* Earth. Solar panels, water recycling, materials science, life support systems—all Mars tech that circles back home. It's not wasteful, it's R&D with an impossible deadline. Plus, it's insurance. One asteroid, one plague, one catastrophe—Earth's done. A self-sustaining Mars colony means humanity survives. You can't fix Earth if we're extinct. Why do you think we shouldn't explore?