In 2019, SpaceX founder Elon Musk tweeted the idea that humanity should use nuclear weapons to terraform Mars for human life. The idea would revolve around creating a greenhouse effect on Mars that would heat the planet to tolerable levels. The heat generated would melt ice on the surface and provide water for the sustainment of life. This would also provide an opportunity to expend some of the many thousands of nuclear weapons on Earth that pose a threat to humanity. Rather than burying their radioactive material in a desert where future generations may stumble across them. Despite this, there is some pushback to the idea.
Although the idea sounds good in theory, many experts and scholars have reservations. First is the ethical question of whether we could nuke another planet for our own gain when there may still be life undiscovered. Another is the possibility of a nuclear winter that may cause the opposite effect than intended, freezing the water and surface even more by blocking out the sun with dust. Finally, is the question of whether there is even enough water present to remain in liquid form once melted. Regardless of these concerns, it is worth looking into this idea, as it is one of the few ideas with promise in our quest to expand humanity beyond Earth.