have everyone seen this link on the main home page of official Google website http://www.google.com/virgle/index.html You can even apply to be a part of the mission.
Wow, that is like a dream come true for me I am totally going to apply. My only issue is why Mars. IMO the main reason we should be colonizing other planets is to preserve the human species. Basically not put all of our eggs into one basket incase a ELE (extinction level event) happens. If the sun goes super nova or a solar flare is ejected it is possible that it would hit Mars and Earth. We need to be setting up rougue asteroid minning stations and colonies, in the Kuiper belt or Ort cloud. IMO It's an awsome step in the right direction though, which is up and all around.
Sadly, it is an April Fools Joke I was bummed when I read that.. But then I saw the, yet..... And I wouldn't put it past Richard Branson to be killing two birds with this stone. One, a good April fools day joke; Two, testing the waters to see if people out there would be interested.