How did 30 seconds to mars get their name?

Answer 1

The band claims that the idea came from a paper written by a professor at Harvard University, that we are literally '30 seconds from Mars'. A lot of their symbology is related to this, for example their latin motto 'Provehito in Altum' means 'launch forth into the deep'. Some of the lyrics from their earlier work hint at this as well.

Answer 2

The band 30 Seconds to Mars got their name from a thesis written by a former Harvard professor that suggested the Earth experienced a cataclysmic event that caused all human life to be wiped out, leaving only a handful of survivors who went to a remote location in Antarctica. The survivors created a new civilization and called themselves "Thirty Seconds to Mars." The band liked the concept of the name and shortened it to "30 Seconds to Mars."