3 Amazing Ways Elon Musk Is Exactly Like The Real Life Tony Stark

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors and SpaceX, is a dreamer, businessman, engineer, adventurer, inventor and innovator.

His ambitious are boundless, literally spanning across the galaxy and perhaps even beyond. He is the real life Tony Stark, developing technologies that most of us believed could only exist in science fiction.

Musk not only wants to engineer innovative technologies, he also wants to ensure that they are used for the betterment of humankind and the planet.

Correspondingly, he has invested in robotics companies to monitor the growth and expansion of this technology. He worries that we could potentially live in a world in which robots are in control and turn on humans, much like Terminator.

Moreover, Musk has been a fervent supporter of renewable energy and is a model for using wealth and status to promote the health and sustainability of our planet. In Musk's view, continuing to rely on fossil fuels for energy is suicidal:

By definition we must move towards renewable energy. How can people argue against that? To argue that is to say that eventually we will run out of energy and die or civilization will collapse.

Musk is poised to revolutionize human existence, and it seems he will lead us into an entirely new age of exploration. Indeed, Musk is a firm believer that space exploration is the key to ensuring that humanity survives in the future. Innovation is the key to survival.

While some might dismiss his ideas as ludicrous, many regard him as a genius. Likewise, the greatest inventions in the world were all once regarded as insane and improbable. Individuals like Musk are vital to the progression of our world.

Here are three ways that Elon Musk is revolutionizing our existence:

1. Reducing our impact on the environment with electric cars.

As noted above, Musk is committed to reducing humanity's carbon footprint. This is precisely why Tesla Motors is developing affordable, long-range, electric cars.

A great deal of America's carbon emissions are a product of our reliance on automobiles that guzzle gasoline and diesel fuel. Electric cars are arguably much better for the environment, but there are still many skeptics. Will Oremus of Slate notes:

The knock on electric cars has always been the same: They’re great for the environment, but they’re pokey and impractical, and nobody wants to buy one. The stunning success story of the Tesla Model S has, improbably, flipped that equation. It’s blazingly fast, surprisingly practical, and everyone wants to buy one.

Electric cars as a concept cannot be contributed to Musk, but Tesla has been particularly innovative by creating a more affordable product with a longer-lasting battery. There's still room for improvement, but it's a massive step in the right direction.

Musk has also developed a sophisticated autopilot system for cars. In fact, he believes that we're only five years away from cars that will drive us as we sleep.

2. Building a city on Mars for the future of humankind.

Musk wants to establish a colony of one million people on Mars:

I think there is a strong humanitarian argument for making life multi-planetary… in order to safeguard the existence of humanity in the event that something catastrophic were to happen, in which case being poor or having a disease would be irrelevant, because humanity would be extinct.

As climate change continues to make our planet increasingly uninhabitable, he may have a point. Likewise, there is so much that we don't know about our own galaxy. Throughout history, humanity has progressed by exploring uncharted territory. Exploring the galaxy will lead to potentially beneficial discoveries and important insights on our own planet.

In September, NASA awarded SpaceX and Boeing a $6.8 million contract to develop space taxis meant to transport astronauts to the International Space Station.

SpaceX is also currently developing a reusable rocket to make multi-planetary life a greater possibility. It's called the Falcon 9 Reusable (Falcon 9R).

3. Harnessing the power of the sun with affordable solar energy.

Musk is determined to find a means to an end to the excessive use of fossil fuels. In the same way that he wants to produce the most affordable and efficient electric car, Musk also wants to make solar panels cheaper and available to the masses.

Solar energy is exceptionally clean and not at all harmful to the environment whatsoever.

SolarCity is a company that designs and installs solar energy systems. It's primary goal is to create solar energy systems that are not only beneficial to the environment, but also affordable for homes and businesses. Musk is the chairman of SolarCity and it's run by two of his cousins.

In June, SolarCity announced that it would build the largest solar panel factory in the world. According to Musk, the sun generates more energy in a few hours than the world uses in a year. Accordingly, solar panels can help the globe meet its energy needs and demands.

As a result of SolarCity's efforts, solar energy systems are becoming rapidly available to more people.

Musk is a testament to the fact that true innovation is a product of a desire to perpetuate the health of this world. After all, we owe our very existence to this planet, it's only right that we preserve and protect it. The future of humanity depends on the stability of the environment.

Photo Courtesy: Twitter