The scorching heat of the sun fell relentlessly on the arid lands, where the green of vegetation had been replaced by the brown of dust and cracks in the ground. In the old farmlands, now parched and abandoned, stood skeletons of plants that once fed millions. The cities, enveloped in a haze of pollution, resounded with cries of protests and riots, as people fought for the remaining water and food.In Africa, the Nile River, once a vital artery, had been reduced to a trickle of muddy water. Tribes and nations along its course were in constant war, and the Sahara devoured fertile lands at an unstoppable pace. Temperatures exceeded 50 degrees Celsius, making life impossible in vast regions of the continent.The Middle East, once flourishing thanks to oil, had become a zone of death and despair. The wells were dry, and the conflict-ridden region crumbled as the last caravans of refugees attempted to cross endless deserts towards an uncertain future.In Asia, sacred rivers like the Ganges and the Yangtze were polluted and almost dry. Coastal cities, flooded by rising sea levels, were in ruins, and rural areas suffered from perpetual drought. Overcrowded and lacking infrastructure, megacities were hotbeds of disease and violence.North America had not been immune. The Great Lakes were at historic drought levels, and the Colorado River no longer reached the sea. Wildfires ravaged thousands of hectares, leaving towns and cities in ashes. Life in metropolises like New York and Los Angeles had become unsustainable, and the exodus inland overwhelmed rural communities.In South America, the Amazon, the world's lung, had been logged and burned almost irreparably. Indigenous peoples, displaced and decimated, struggled to survive in a devastated landscape. Coastal cities faced rising sea levels and desertification, on the verge of collapse.Amid this desolate panorama, international organizations struggled to coordinate an effective response, but global cooperation crumbled under the weight of national interests and despair. In this bleak context, an emergency meeting was organized between the world's major powers, a last effort to find a solution before humanity became extinct on its home planet.In a crowded conference in Geneva, Commander Ethan Harris, the best astronaut of his generation, stood before an expectant audience. He was a middle-aged man, his face marked by experience and pain. The screens around him displayed alarming graphs and statistics about the decline of the planet's resources."Time is running out," Ethan said, his deep voice resonating in the room. "If we don't act now, neither we nor our children will have a home on this planet." With an impeccable record, Ethan had been chosen to command the most crucial mission in human history.In a laboratory in Houston, Sarah Johnson, a brilliant and pragmatic engineer, worked tirelessly. Her short, curly hair was tied in a messy bun, and her green eyes moved quickly between the screens and the instruments. "We can't afford any more failures," Sarah murmured, adjusting the parameters on one of the life support systems. The technology she was developing had to work perfectly, as a failure in life support during the mission could be fatal.Sarah was developing the life support systems that the Mars expedition team would use, and this included her. Everything had to work according to plan, not only during the trip, but also during the stay on Mars. She needed to ensure that the crew could survive on Mars for as long as necessary to carry out the mission.In a crowded hospital in New York, Dr. Emily Wong treated patients affected by the crisis. Her face showed a mixture of compassion and determination as she moved from patient to patient, administering care and comfort. "The level of malnutrition is increasing," Emily told her team, while examining a child with symptoms of severe malnutrition. "We have to find a way to secure the food supply."Emily, an eminence in the world of medicine, had been in charge of keeping hospitals running around New York. Not only was she an excellent doctor, but her management skills over patients, medications and other doctors made her an irreplaceable element. Her ability to work under extreme pressure situations had earned her recognition as the best professional in the world of medicine of the 21st century.At a symposium in Rome, Marco Santoro, a renowned historian and archaeologist, discussed the management of the few remaining resources. His voice was firm and his expression, severe. "We need to think beyond traditional methods," Marco said, pointing to a table of chemical elements. "The key to our survival could be in the resources we have not yet exploited. Mars could be our answer.""I know it sounds unreal, stupid perhaps, but we have been stuck for the last ten years thinking that we could solve everything with the resources that were still left. The reality is that, no matter what we do, we are on a direct slide to the extinction not only of the human species, but of everything known on this planet," Marco concluded.Marco was known for his immoderate ambition and his egocentric approach, often prioritizing his own achievements over the common good. Despite being an archaeologist, he had been working with a space agency, investigating fragments of Mars extracted by an unmanned robot. The discoveries indicated the possible existence of underground water reserves on Mars, a finding that could be crucial for human survival.In an experimental greenhouse in Bogotá, Dr. Alicia Reyes, a botanist with more than a decade of experience in crops, presented her research on growing plants in extreme environments. Her hands, covered in dirt, held a vibrant green plant that had grown in conditions created in an experimental environment. "If we can make plants grow here, we can do it anywhere," Alicia explained to a group of attentive scientists. "This is not just a theory; it is our hope for the future."Dr. Alicia had been in charge of a project to grow plants and trees in a hostile environment like that of Mars. After a long time, she had managed to create a suitable environment, with fertile soil and enough water for the plants to develop and bear fruit. All this was achieved using only resources that could be taken to Mars, so this discovery would be essential for the mission.In a research center in Tokyo, David Lee, an expert in artificial intelligence and robotics, demonstrated advances in autonomous robots. A small robot moved with surgical precision, performing complex tasks under David's direction. "These robots will be our eyes and hands in any activity, however precise it may be," David said, proudly watching the demonstration. "With them, we can explore and work in conditions impossible for humans."David had been working in robotics since he was a child, and his inventions had been used in various explorations on both the Moon and Mars. But his new design was revolutionary; a robot capable of performing analyses at molecular levels, using different chemical components for each situation. However, behind his professional facade, David often made decisions based on his own benefit, which made it difficult for him to get sponsors.In a clinic in Melbourne, Dr. Laura Bennett, a psychologist specializing in group dynamics and stress in isolated environments, was in a session with a group of patients. Her voice was calm and her presence, comforting. "It is natural to feel anxious and stressed," Laura said, as her patients listened attentively. "But together, we can find ways to manage these feelings."Laura had worked hard since migrations began to be common. She treated both desperate immigrants and people from big cities, collapsed by the stress of the crisis. She was the creator of therapies and group sessions that helped mitigate clashes between immigrants and natives, being recognized with the Nobel Peace Prize.At a university in London, Dr. Jacob Taylor, a biologist and NASA researcher, presented his theories on the habitability of Mars and the possible existence of life outside Earth. His eyes shone with enthusiasm as he pointed to a holographic projection of Mars. "The possibilities are endless," Jacob said, his voice full of passion. "Mars is not just a temporary refuge; it could be the beginning of a new era for humanity."Since childhood, Jacob had been fascinated by space and planets, discovering many habitable worlds, although too far away to be visited with current technology. He then focused his attention on Mars, proposing various theories about its colonization and what the red planet was like in the past.At an observatory in Chile, Dr. Natalie Vega, a physicist specializing in extreme and anomalous phenomena, explained the risks and mitigation strategies necessary for the mission. Her expressions were serious and her tone, grave. "The risks are enormous," Natalie said, looking at the starry sky. "But if we do not take these risks, our species may not survive. Mars is our best opportunity."Natalie had already traveled to the Moon and studied the climate of various planets, with special attention to Mars. She had not only understood its environment, but had also developed techniques to mitigate the adverse effects of the red planet, vital knowledge for a successful exploration.A series of encrypted communications was sent to these outstanding professionals. Each received a short but urgent message: a summons to a summit in Geneva, classified as top priority and highly secret.The protagonists arrived at the world summit, each carrying the weight of expectations and the uncertainty of the future. Although their names and achievements resonated in scientific and political circles, they found themselves among strangers in a world on the brink of the abyss.Before the meeting, some met in the hallways of the convention center, exchanging polite greetings and questions about their respective fields of study. Sarah Johnson and Marco Santoro, for example, shared a brief conversation about the difficulties of developing sustainable technology in a world on the verge of collapse. Marco, with his egocentric tone, could not help boasting about his latest research, while Sarah maintained a more pragmatic tone.David Lee and Dr. Natalie Vega discussed the challenges of space exploration and the risks of sending humans to such a hostile environment as Mars. David, always seeking to stand out, appeared overly confident in the capabilities of his robots, while Natalie, more reserved, emphasized the dangers and unknowns that still needed to be resolved.As the meeting time approached, the protagonists headed towards the main conference room, where world leaders and the world's most prominent scientists were already gathered. The atmosphere was charged with tension and anticipation, and the murmurs of conversations filled the air.Ethan Harris, with a firm and determined step, led the way, closely followed by Sarah, Emily, Marco, and the others. As they crossed the threshold of the room, their eyes met, and a sense of camaraderie and purpose united them in a moment of silent complicity.The room was illuminated by dim light, and a large screen displayed images of Earth from space, reminding everyone of the magnitude of the challenge they faced. Ethan walked to the central podium, where a microphone awaited, and the others took their seats around the oval table."We are here because we need a solution, and we need it now," Ethan began, his voice resonating in the room. "Everyone present here has been an eminence in their areas, which is why they have been selected to save humanity. Welcome to Project Mars."