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11 Surprising Facts You Never Knew About Elon Musk

By Alex.P in News Stories, posted May 3, 2023

Elon Musk, the innovative entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink, has been making headlines for years.

But there's more to this tech mogul than meets the eye.

In this blog post, we'll reveal 10 surprising facts about Elon Musk that you probably didn't know. Get ready to be amazed by the lesser-known side of this modern-day visionary!

Elon's Early Entrepreneurship: Selling a Video Game
At the tender age of 12, Elon Musk sold his first creation - a video game called Blastar - to a magazine for $500. This early success marked the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey.

Fear of Artificial Intelligence
Despite being at the forefront of technological innovation, Musk has repeatedly expressed his concerns about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence. He believes that AI poses an existential threat to humanity and has even co-founded OpenAI to ensure its safe development.

The Iron Man Connection
Elon Musk's persona has inspired the portrayal of Tony Stark in the Iron Man movies.

In fact, director Jon Favreau and actor Robert Downey Jr. visited SpaceX to observe Musk's leadership style and incorporate it into the character.

First Principles Thinking
Musk is known for his "first principles" approach to problem-solving, which involves breaking down complex issues into their fundamental elements. This technique allows him to tackle challenges in innovative ways and has contributed to his groundbreaking successes.

College Dropout
Musk began a Ph.D. program in applied physics at Stanford University, but dropped out after just two days to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities in the tech and renewable energy sectors.

Dual Citizenship
Born in Pretoria, South Africa, Elon Musk holds citizenship in three countries: South Africa, Canada, and the United States. He moved to Canada in his late teens and later relocated to the United States for his studies.

Love for Literature
Musk has credited his love for reading as a significant influence on his success. As a child, he would read up to 10 hours a day, devouring science fiction novels and books on various subjects, including physics, engineering, and programming.

Cameo Appearances
Elon Musk has made several cameo appearances in movies and TV shows. Some notable examples include Iron Man 2, The Big Bang Theory, and Rick and Morty.

SolarCity: A Family Affair
Musk's cousins, Lyndon and Peter Rive, co-founded SolarCity in 2006. Although Elon wasn't directly involved in the company's operations, he was a major investor and served as the chairman of the board until SolarCity was acquired by Tesla in 2016.

Tesla Motors: A Misconception
Contrary to popular belief, Elon Musk did not found Tesla Motors. The company was established by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in 2003. Musk joined as an investor and chairman of the board in 2004, and later became the CEO.

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And for a bonus, Musk also holds a world record no-one could possibly want - last year he became the person to lose the most money in history - he's since made it back and is currently the second richest person in the world.

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