With the right technology and solutions for living, Mercury could become a major settlement someday.

While the thought of living, working, or visiting a planet like Mercury might sound like something out of science fiction (or completely insane), the idea is grounded in science fact. And with the right strategies and technologies for living in a hostile environment, humans could make a life for themselves on Mercury.

And there would be tangible benefits to having an enduring human presence there. For starters, a local economy could be built around “adventure tourism,” mining, and energy. Mercury is an extreme environment, being the closest planet to our Sun. But it is also rich in ore and precious metals and a tremendous amount of solar power.

But first, the little matter of that “hostile environment” needs to be addressed.

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