Top 50 Unknown and Interesting Facts About Elon Musk
Elon Reeve Musk FRS is a globally recognized entrepreneur, investor, and innovator. Musk is most recognized for founding ground-breaking businesses that are reshaping the space exploration and renewable energy industries, such as SpaceX and Tesla, Inc. He is also the owner of X Corp., the company that runs the Twitter-formerly-X social media network. In addition, Musk co-founded OpenAI and founded The Boring Company, xAI, and Neuralink. His estimated net worth as of August 2024 is an astounding $247 billion, placing him among the world’s richest people.
Musk immigrated to the US in order to pursue higher education; he first enrolled at Stanford but quickly dropped out to concentrate on his business endeavors. His first significant business venture was the software startup Zip2, which he sold for around $300 million in 1999. After that, he co-founded X.com, which later became PayPal before being acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion.
Musk’s long-term goal is to establish human life on multiple planets, especially through SpaceX, his space exploration business. By creating reusable rockets and effectively launching flights to the International Space Station, the business has transformed space technology. Sustainability has been a major focus of Musk’s work, since Tesla, led by him, has revolutionized the automobile sector by popularizing electric vehicles.
In addition to these projects, Musk is developing breakthroughs like Neuralink, which promises to link computers and the human brain, and The Boring Company, which plans to build underground tunnels to ease traffic congestion. He is regarded as one of the most significant individuals of the twenty-first century due to his audacious strategy, creative thinking, and drive to push the limits of humanity.
In this blog, we dive into 50 unknown and interesting facts about Elon Musk that offer a deeper look into the man behind the innovations.
1. Elon Musk’s Early Start in Coding
At the age of 12, Elon Musk taught himself how to code and created a video game called Blastar, which he later sold for $500. This was Musk’s first entrepreneurial venture and gave him early exposure to the world of programming and technology.
2. Musk’s First Venture: Zip2
Before founding PayPal, Tesla, or SpaceX, Elon Musk co-founded Zip2, a city guide software company, in 1996. Compaq acquired Zip2 for nearly $300 million in 1999, earning Musk $22 million for his share.
3. He Was Bullied in School
Elon Musk endured intense bullying during his school years in South Africa. At one point, he was beaten so severely by classmates that he had to be hospitalized.
4. Elon Dropped Out of a PhD Program
Elon Musk briefly attended Stanford University to pursue a PhD in applied physics but dropped out after just two days. He realized that his entrepreneurial goals could be better achieved outside of academia.
5. He Co-Founded X.com, Which Became PayPal
In 1999, Musk co-founded an online payment company called X.com. A year later, X.com merged with Confinity, a company that had developed a money-transfer service known as PayPal. PayPal was later acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion, and Musk walked away with $165 million.
6. Elon Musk’s Mars Ambition
One of Musk’s most audacious goals is to colonize Mars. He founded SpaceX with the long-term goal of making life multiplanetary. Musk has repeatedly said he wants to send humans to Mars within his lifetime.
7. He Was a Co-Founder of OpenAI
Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015, a research organization aimed at promoting and developing friendly AI. However, he left OpenAI’s board in 2018, though he remains a donor.
8. Musk’s Fear of AI
Despite co-founding OpenAI, Musk has often expressed concerns about artificial intelligence. He believes that unregulated AI could pose a serious threat to humanity, going as far as to call it more dangerous than nuclear weapons.
9. He Invested His Own Money in SpaceX
When SpaceX was on the verge of bankruptcy in 2008, Musk personally invested the last of his money—about $100 million—to keep the company afloat. This was a bold move that paid off when NASA awarded SpaceX a $1.6 billion contract later that year.
10. Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Vision
In 2013, Musk unveiled the idea of the Hyperloop, a high-speed transportation system using pressurized tubes. Although Musk hasn’t actively worked on the Hyperloop himself, he has inspired several companies to pursue the concept.
11. He Was Almost Ousted from Tesla
In Tesla’s early days, Musk was nearly ousted from the company due to disagreements with other board members. However, he managed to regain control and led Tesla to become one of the most valuable automakers in the world.
12. Elon Musk Doesn’t Take Salaries
Despite being one of the wealthiest people in the world, Musk doesn’t take a salary from his companies. Instead, he opts for stock options, which are tied to the success of his companies.
13. He Lived on $1 a Day in College
During his college years, Musk lived on just $1 a day by buying groceries in bulk. He would often eat cheap food like hot dogs and oranges to save money for bigger dreams.
14. Elon Musk’s Quirky Sense of Humor
Musk is known for his quirky and sometimes controversial sense of humor, especially on social media. His tweets about topics ranging from Dogecoin to memes often go viral.
15. He Sold One of His Homes to Tech Youtuber MKBHD
In a bold move to “own no house,” Musk began selling off his real estate. In 2020, he sold one of his homes to popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD).
16. He Inspired Tony Stark’s Character in Iron Man
Elon Musk’s ambitious and eccentric personality reportedly inspired Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Tony Stark in the Iron Man films. In fact, some scenes in Iron Man 2 were filmed at SpaceX’s headquarters.
17. Musk Has Asperger’s Syndrome
In 2021, Musk revealed on Saturday Night Live that he has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism that often makes social interactions challenging. Despite this, Musk has successfully navigated the high-pressure worlds of business and technology.
18. Elon Musk is a Father of 10 Children
Elon Musk has fathered 10 children from various relationships. He has expressed that he views population decline as one of the biggest threats to humanity and that he is doing his part to counter it.
19. He Once Planned to Start a Video Game Company
Before he ventured into software and technology, Musk briefly considered starting a video game company after selling his first game Blastar. However, he eventually decided to pursue broader technological goals.
20. Musk Reads 2 Books a Day
Elon Musk is an avid reader, and his reading habits are intense. He has said that he used to read up to two books a day on a variety of subjects, including science fiction, philosophy, and engineering.
21. He Has a Distaste for MBAs
Musk has openly criticized the influence of MBA programs on corporate America. He believes that MBA graduates tend to focus too much on spreadsheets and meetings, rather than innovation and product development.
22. Elon Musk Was Once Broke
After selling PayPal, Musk reinvested almost all of his earnings into his ventures like Tesla and SpaceX. By 2008, he was so financially stretched that he had to borrow money for rent.
23. Elon Musk’s Private Jet
Elon Musk owns a Gulfstream G650ER, a luxury private jet. This jet allows him to travel across the world to manage his various businesses and attend high-level meetings.
24. He Plans to Build a City on Mars
One of Musk’s loftiest goals is to establish a self-sustaining city on Mars. He envisions a colony of around 1 million people, which he believes could be possible by 2050.
25. Elon Musk’s Boring Company
In 2016, Musk founded The Boring Company, a tunnel construction and infrastructure firm. The company aims to reduce traffic congestion by building underground transportation systems.
26. Musk Helped with the Thailand Cave Rescue
In 2018, when 12 boys were trapped in a cave in Thailand, Musk proposed using a mini-submarine built by SpaceX engineers to rescue them. Although the submarine wasn’t used, Musk’s involvement made headlines.
27. He Was Sued for Defamation
Musk faced a defamation lawsuit in 2019 after referring to a British cave rescuer involved in the Thai rescue as a “pedo guy” in a tweet. Musk won the case, as the court ruled that it was merely an insult and not meant to be taken literally.
28. Musk’s Favorite Books
Some of Musk’s favorite books include The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien and Foundation by Isaac Asimov. These books have greatly influenced his thinking on futuristic technology and society.
29. Elon Musk and Tesla’s Stock Surge
Tesla’s stock price has surged dramatically under Musk’s leadership, making the company one of the most valuable in the world. Musk’s personal net worth also skyrocketed due to Tesla’s stock price.
30. He Dislikes the Concept of “Meetings”
Musk is known for his disdain for lengthy meetings. He believes they are a waste of time and often insists on keeping meetings short, or avoiding them altogether unless absolutely necessary.
31. He Opened Tesla’s Patents
In 2014, Musk announced that Tesla would open its patents to the public in an effort to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles worldwide. This move was seen as unprecedented in the highly competitive automotive industry.
32. Musk Names His Rockets After Sci-Fi Ships
Elon Musk is a big fan of science fiction. He named SpaceX’s first two rockets, Falcon 1 and Falcon 9, after the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars. Similarly, his spacecraft are often named after iconic sci-fi ships.
33. Elon Musk’s Stint on Saturday Night Live
In May 2021, Musk made his debut as a host on Saturday Night Live, becoming one of the few non-entertainment industry figures to host the show. His appearance drew mixed reactions but garnered significant media attention.
34. His Tesla Roadster is in Space
In February 2018, Musk sent his personal Tesla Roadster into space aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket. The car is currently orbiting the sun and could remain in space for millions of years.
35. He Dropped an EDM Track
In 2020, Musk surprised many by releasing an electronic dance music (EDM) track titled “Don’t Doubt ur Vibe.” He tweeted that he wrote the lyrics and performed the vocals for the song.
36. Elon Musk and SolarCity
In 2006, Musk co-founded SolarCity with his cousins, Lyndon and Peter Rive. SolarCity focused on providing solar energy systems for homes and businesses. In 2016, Tesla acquired SolarCity as part of its mission to create sustainable energy solutions.
37. Musk Owns a McLaren F1
Musk once owned a rare McLaren F1 supercar, which he purchased with part of his proceeds from the sale of Zip2. Unfortunately, he wrecked the car in 2000 without having insured it, and it was damaged beyond repair.
38. He Became the Richest Person in the World in 2021
In January 2021, Musk briefly overtook Jeff Bezos to become the richest person in the world, thanks to Tesla’s surging stock price. Although the rankings fluctuate, Musk’s net worth remains in the hundreds of billions.
39. Elon Musk’s X Æ A-12 Controversy
In 2020, Musk and his partner, musician Grimes, named their child “X Æ A-12,” sparking widespread confusion and debate about the pronunciation and legality of the name. The couple later altered the name to “X Æ A-Xii” to comply with California law.
40. He Was a Heavy Sleeper
Musk used to sleep for more than eight hours a night, but after founding his companies, he reportedly cut his sleep to about six hours a night to have more time for work.
41. Elon Musk Owns Multiple Companies
While Musk is best known for Tesla and SpaceX, he also owns or is heavily involved in several other companies, including Neuralink (focused on brain-machine interfaces) and The Boring Company.
42. He Taught Himself Rocket Science
Elon Musk didn’t have a formal background in aerospace engineering before founding SpaceX. He taught himself rocket science by reading textbooks and speaking with experts in the field.
43. Musk’s Father’s Wealth
Elon Musk’s father, Errol Musk, was a wealthy South African engineer who helped Elon financially in his early days. However, the two have had a tumultuous relationship over the years, with Elon describing his father as a difficult person.
44. Elon Musk’s $6 Billion Philanthropy Pledge
In 2021, Musk pledged to donate $6 billion to address world hunger after a United Nations official suggested that such an amount could help solve the crisis. However, the specifics of this pledge remain under discussion.
45. Musk’s Favorite Video Game
Elon Musk is a fan of video games, and one of his favorites is Deus Ex, a cyberpunk-themed RPG that explores the implications of advanced technology on society.
46. He Is a Huge Believer in Multi-Planetary Living
Musk believes that humans must become a multi-planetary species to ensure the survival of humanity in the event of a global catastrophe. His vision for SpaceX is rooted in this belief.
47. He Has a High Pain Threshold
Musk has admitted that he has an unusually high pain threshold, which has helped him endure both physical and mental challenges over the years.
48. Elon Musk’s Twitter Influence
Musk’s tweets have been known to significantly impact the stock market, especially for companies like Tesla and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Dogecoin.
49. He’s an Avid Fan of Rick and Morty
Musk has expressed his admiration for the animated show Rick and Morty. In fact, he even made a cameo appearance in one episode, playing a character named Elon Tusk.
50. He Plans to Die on Mars
Elon Musk has said that he would like to die on Mars, but not on impact. His dedication to space exploration is so deep that he envisions his final moments on the Red Planet, marking the fulfillment of his life’s dream.