[TEDxCapeTown] Speaker profile: Adriana Marais

She studied theoretical physics and philosophy at the University of Cape Town, and completed her MSc summa cum laude in quantum cryptography at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). She was awarded her PhD in quantum biology at the same institute earlier this year, and is a member of the Quantum Research Group established by Prof. Francesco Petruccione at UKZN

She is currently one of the 100 Mars One Project astronaut candidates in the running to move to the red planet in 2026, and hopes one day to continue her research on Mars.

Tell us more about the Mars 100 programme, and how and why you got involved?

Marais: When I read in the paper for the first time the call for volunteers to go to Mars on a one-way mission, I went cold and was engulfed by a wave of nausea - I knew this was it. Suddenly a strange early childhood memory rushed back to me in all its clarity: We were riding plastic scooters up and down the driveway where I played after school some days, and when we stopped I asked my two friends, "If you could go into space on a spaceship to see what was there, further than we've been before, but you knew that you wouldn't come back, would you go? Just to see what was there..." They wrinkled their noses and scooted off, while I said determinedly, "I would". We must have been six or seven.

A lot of people have asked me this question, and at times I wonder if it's all real... but in fact Mars is the obvious destination for the next Great Trek. Humans are explorers by nature and now for the first time the possibility of moving to another planet has arisen. I feel lucky to be alive at this precise moment in the almost four billion years of the evolution of life on Earth and to be taking part in this awe-inspiring mission to call another planet home.

What are you looking forward to the most?

Marais: It has been an absolute pleasure to meet the other speakers, hear their stories and work with the coaches and organisers of TEDxCapeTown as we have all moved towards delivering our idea worth sharing in the style of a TED talk. I am of course nervous that the live audience will be up to 1000 people and that the talk will be online perpetually! But that's the point, and mostly I'm excited to share my ideas on expanding our imaginations and our world.

How will your presentation relate to the theme (Open.Access.Control)?

Marais: As someone who has spent nearly 10 years studying at university, and as a theoretical physicist, I suppose I have spent more time than many thinking about and researching fundamental questions I have about the world around me. What I have trouble understanding, however, is that in spite of living in this grand and improbable era of human information creation, many of us are often not open to seeing the bigger picture.

Many people find it incomprehensible that I want to move to Mars. However, all the knowledge that we have accumulated is the result of having explored the unknown. I believe that creating societies off of Earth will expand our imaginations and our world to an unprecedented extent, and I feel privileged to be alive right now - a truly unique time in history - when this dream has become accessible. For more detail - be there on Saturday or watch it online after the event!

Do you have a website or twitter profile for the audience to follow you?

Marais: Website: www.adrianamarais.org. Twitter: @adrianamarais.

Join our Jozi simulcast taking place at Jozi Hub, 44 Stanley in Milpark. For more details click here.

*Accenture South Africa has partnered with TEDxCapeTown in 2015 to ensure #IdeasWorthSpreading

About TEDx, x=independently organised event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self organised events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.

These local, self-organised events are branded TEDx, where x=independently organised TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organised.*

About TED

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