Welcome to SSEGU, where people come to get inspired and educated about the world. Today, we delve into the life of Elon Musk, the South African-born entrepreneur, engineer, inventor, and real-life Iron Man. At 45, he was already the 83rd richest person in the world, with a net worth of $11.5 billion. Musk is the mastermind behind some of the most exciting technology companies today. Here are 15 lesser-known facts about Elon Musk that highlight his incredible journey and achievements.
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1. He Started Young
Elon Musk coded his first game, "Blastar," at just 12 years old and sold it for $500, showcasing his prodigious talent early on. The game, created using a Commodore VIC-20, is still playable online today. Musk’s fascination with science and technology began at a young age, reading for five hours a day and curing his fear of the dark by understanding basic physics.
2. Surviving on Less Than $1 a Day
During his college years, Musk lived on less than a dollar a day, preventing scurvy with red pepper in his cheap ramen noodles. To make ends meet, he and his best friend turned their house into a nightclub, hosting massive parties for up to 500 people and charging $5 per head. Musk stayed sober to keep control.
3. Dropped Out of a PhD Program
Musk dropped out of his applied physics PhD course at Stanford after just two days to pursue entrepreneurial ventures. He co-founded Zip2 with his brother, a city guide software company for newspapers, which he sold for $22 million just a few years later.
4. A Passion for Cars
In 1999, Musk bought a McLaren F1 for $1 million but didn't insure it, and subsequently crashed it. His love for cars continued, as he bought the Lotus Esprit from the James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me" for nearly $1 million, intending to convert it into a real submarine.
5. Inspiration for Tony Stark
Robert Downey Jr. modeled his Tony Stark character in the Marvel films on Musk, with the eccentric genius billionaire being a more flamboyant version of Elon. Musk even had a cameo in "Iron Man 2."
6. The PayPal Mafia
Musk co-founded X.com, which later became PayPal, and made $165 million from its sale. The PayPal Mafia, a group of former PayPal employees, went on to create hugely successful companies like YouTube, LinkedIn, Yelp, and more. Musk's contributions include Tesla and SpaceX.
7. All-In Moment
After selling PayPal, Musk invested all his savings into his ventures: $100 million in SpaceX, $70 million in Tesla, and $10 million in SolarCity. He even had to borrow money to pay rent during this period.
8. Complex Personal Life
Musk married and divorced British actress Talulah Riley twice. Their relationship ended for good in 2016, highlighting the sacrifices Musk makes for his ambitions.
9. A Symbolic Salary
Musk's official salary from Tesla is just $1 per year. He discovered Tesla and bought himself into the company, eventually taking over as CEO.
10. Aiming for Mars
Musk's ultimate goal with SpaceX is to colonize Mars. He aims to drop the cost of interplanetary travel to $100,000 and wants to send 1 million people to Mars to ensure the survival of the human race.
11. Concerns About AI
Musk views artificial intelligence as the most serious threat to humanity. Despite investing in AI firms and founding a non-profit AI research company, he advocates for a neural network connecting human brains to democratize AI and prevent it from becoming a danger.
12. Building the Gigafactory
Musk's Gigafactory is set to be the second largest building in the world, producing more batteries annually than the rest of the world combined. This ambitious project aims to shift global energy use from fossil fuels to sustainable energy.
13. Off-Grid Energy Solutions
Musk’s solar panels, resembling traditional roof tiles, and Tesla Powerwall batteries allow homes to go completely off-grid. Tesla cars also come with free lifetime energy from their supercharging stations.
14. Multiple Nationalities
Musk holds three nationalities: South African, Canadian, and American. He became a U.S. citizen in 2002 and is passionately patriotic about his adopted country.
15. Political Donations
Musk has donated to both Republican and Democrat presidential candidates, contributing significantly more to Obama's campaign than to Bush's. He remains optimistic about Tesla's future despite differing political views on climate change.
Bonus Fact: Global Internet Ambitions
Musk plans to deploy 4,425 satellites to provide free internet worldwide. This project could generate enough revenue to fund the first city on Mars, setting him apart from competitors like Facebook and Google.
Elon Musk's relentless drive and visionary ideas make him a truly remarkable individual. Would you consider moving to Mars if given the chance? Let us know in the comments, and as always, subscribe for more inspiring content from SSEGU.