Simulations suggest only 22 people are required to start a colony on Mars

"New Alabama"

Was this simulation just based on population growth or did it also take into account genetic variation which I believe is also critical for certain aspects of a species survival?

used data from past endeavors, such as questionnaires filled out by groups aboard the International Space Station or those living in close quarters in the Arctic for months at a time. They also attempted to factor in known character traits such as resilience to stress, social skills and degree of neuroticism.

Wat? Is this a probilistic study on psychological issues? Did they just put a bunch of traits in Rimworld and see who would break?

Edit: I read the study, it's not far off. Part of the sim was "mining minerals to be sent to earth." We will never pull minerals out of the martian gravity well just to drop them into the earth one. That's just dumb.

the global variables set the skill levels necessary for settlement pro-
duction functions. An assumed score of 100 is needed across two sets of skills (-s1
and -s2) to successfully accomplish each of four tasks (food, water, air produc-
tion, and accident recovery). Each pair of scores related to resource production
is set with the same values. For example, food-s1 is set as a random integer
between 0 and 100. Food-s2 is set as the difference between 100 and food-s1
(100 - food-s1). Accident recovery sets both both accident-s1 and accident-s2 as
a random integer from 0 to 100. This represents the ex ante uncertainty about
what types of skills may be needed for a given emergency. It is important to
remember that these values set the required skill score that must be met for
successful production; they do not guarantee that settlers will have these skills.
Settler Variables. Settlers are assigned two skills. Skill 1 is set as a random
number from 0 to 100. Skill 2 is set as 100 - Skill 1, such that each settler
has a total skill level of 100. Settlers have a partner variable (all settlers begin
unpartnered) and indicator variables that store their task assignment.
Each settler is created with one of four resilience types: nuerotic, reactive,
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social, and agreeable.

It's like a stupid rimworld

I can't help but imagine the university took the "how many engineers, managers, etc. does it take to change a lightbulb" joke and turned it into a practical computer science problem for space colonization.

That's a cool simulation tool and research like this will definitely help accelerate technology for habitating Mars.

I mean. ... That's been well known for decades? Here's an excerpt from The Matrix:

The Architect : The function of the One is now to return to the source, allowing a temporary dissemination of the code you carry, reinserting the prime program. After which you will be required to select from the matrix 23 individuals, 16 female, 7 male, to rebuild Zion. Failure to comply with this process will result in a cataclysmic system crash killing everyone connected to the matrix, which coupled with the extermination of Zion will ultimately result in the extinction of the entire human race.

Or a war... (ง ื▿ ื)ว

Ok. Fine. I'll go.

If they take along artificial wombs and artificial seeders, wouldn't it be able to thrive with even fewer people? I assume this is based on natural procreation, not artificial...

Prefer somewhere warmer and more tropical, like Antarctica.