“I think fundamentally the future is vastly more exciting and interesting if we're a spacefaring civilization and a multiplanet species than if we're or not. You want to be inspired by things. You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great. And that's what being a spacefaring civilization is all about.” says Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX. If a better life meant leaving your home, would you leave? Our evolution needs us to become a multiplanetary species to continue, and many great minds agree, such as Elon Musk. We need to colonize Mars for the Human race to survive, even beyond the destruction or downfall of our primary planet. First, the Earth will not sustain us forever. “We're running the most dangerous …show more content…
The abundance of water on Mars in the frozen poles and under the surface can provide us water that we would otherwise have to bring ourselves or make out of the atmosphere. By heating up the atmosphere the same way we did to Earth (but not too much), we can melt the poles to make oceans and make it less cold. Canyons on the vast surface of Mars would be filled and there would still be nearly the same amount of land to walk on than Earth despite it’s smaller size. The lighter gravity on Mars will most likely make Martian people taller and with less bone issues because of little strain on their growth. A day on Mars is only about an hour longer than ours, so it would not take too long to get used to it, and Mars even has seasons like us. It is rich in resources, and even the air can be reused for other purposes. It is not unlikely that there is even life, or previous life, hidden on …show more content…
Carl Sagan told us, “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” If there is life beyond us on Mars, it will not be easy to find and identifying what it is may be even harder. While some people might disagree that we are not alone, it is undeniable that the chances are high, even if not in our own solar system. We have found that the soil is able to be farmed, so it is a possibility for there to have been plant life. Because of the water frozen in ice on Mars, organisms on Mars would also have a source of drinking, or absorbing nutrients and water. Because of the similarities with us, and high chances, Mars more than likely held life at one point, even if not anymore. We might not be the first living organisms on
Why, you ask? Earth’s resources are running out and we will run out of space on Earth, eventually. Even the famous scientist, Stephen Hawking says,” if we want our species to survive, we need to colonize other planets, because we are going to run out of space and resources here on earth.” And by the time that people say,”let’s go to Mars now…”, it will be too late. Either the space programs doesn’t have enough
“I think humans will reach Mars, and I would like to see it happen in my lifetime” was said by Buzz Aldrin, a NASA astronaut. The former American aeronaut from Montclair, New Jersey believes that since Mars does exist, it is waiting to be reached by humans. When this would happen, he says that the human race would “evolve into a two-planet species.” Present day Mars has a lot of canyons, mountains and volcanoes. Even though the surface is Mars is very old, scientists learned about different younger rift valleys, plains, hills and ridges. According to recent reports, there were lakes and rivers, along with an ocean billions of years ago. The low temperatures on the planet cause there to be polar ice caps and frozen water present. Scientists continue to notice several discoveries on the planet that lead them to think there was once life on the planet. Different clues have scientists wanting to find out about even more. Many scientists in the past few centuries have been curious if life on Mars is possible or if it has ever been before.
As a country we need to start investing more money and research into space technology. Programs currently exist for this effort, but the potential for research and progress is limited by a lack of funding; compared to other government funded programs, aerospace funding is pitiful. Continued research in space technology is a necessary step in our growth and development not just as a country but also as entire human race. If we are to achieve this goal, it is necessary to increase funding for space research and technology and consider the possibility of colonizing outer space. If we limit our existence to the planet Earth, and continue to drain the resources on this planet, we will destroy the only home we have.
Mars is our next best hope in life on another planet. Because of science mankind can grow and harvest plants in the modified mars soil, make a thick warm atmosphere, and drink no frozen mars water. Mankind can grow and flourish more as a species with this idea of colonizing mars. With more scientific advancements we can colonize mars and we will colonize mars.
Space, the final frontier. Our future as a species points towards space, throughout the years man has looked to the stars, the future holds countless technologies that will help us exploit and traverse them. We are already testing edible plant growth in a zero G environment. Every day we are closer to developing a functional warp drive, thanks to the Alcubierre theory. Space is even a source of limitless power and energy. Why change the planet, when we can just find another?
Have you ever looked up in the sky and wondered if there is life elsewhere in the universe? Have you ever looked at a photograph of Mars and wondered if there really was ever life on it? People have a wide variety of opinions regarding these questions and with good reason. As far back as the broadcast of H. G. Well's novel, "The War of the Worlds", the world has been fascinated with the possibilities of what Mars may hold. Over time, the majority of people have come to realize that there is no way that life can currently be on Mars. Those who are uncertain think there may be microscopic bacteria underground.
Starting with Mars being too dangerous. Colonists could be exposed to radiation which can result in cancer, brain damage, tumors, sickness, or death. Secondly, Mars has a lower gravity than Earth which means over time colonists would lose bone mass, have a weaker immune system, and have a weaker heart and body. Lastly, colonists would be in a closed environment for a long periods of time which could lead to mental problems according to NASA and Mars One.
The water contained under the soil has had some various effects on the Mars terrain. When the robots were on mars collecting samples, they found some rocks that looked like rocks from prehistoric life here on earth. When analyzing these samples, the scientists deemed that the water was very acidic and salty. This is similar to some of the earlier times in the Australian area.
Through experiments, scientists have been able to produce the necessary conditions for life to be sustained. “Levy et al. found that amino acids were produced abiotically in a frozen NH4CH solution while Martins et al. showed the formation of several amino acids through a process called impact shock synthesis. Hydrocarbons can be synthesized by chemical reactions simulating high-pressure/temperature conditions (Fischer-Tropsch reactions), and nucleobases have been shown to form under simulated prebiotic conditions, with formamide (HCONH2) as the precursor molecule, which may have been available on the early Earth.” [1] However, when searching for molecular traces of life on other terrestrial bodies, such as Mars, one must take great care to distinguish between abiotic and biotic
NASA has been placing their rovers on it to collect all the datas available and pictures. They are also on the seek for extraterrestrial life. It is said that Mars used to have lakes and water, and knowingly, when there’s water, there’s life. The question is, how can life live in such cold and unstable conditions? Many organisms already live on Earth in such extreme, unstable conditions.
Recently, two probes were sent back and they made it to Mars. They landed on the South Polar Caps of Mars. That is where NASA plans to find water. After landing on Mars, the probes extracted water like crystals from the surface of Mars. They found that there was a small amount of water in the crystals, which means that there is a strong chance that life, was on Mars at one time.
Not only that, but our population has been growing at an extremely alarming rate. At our current rate, our species may not be able to survive for much longer. This is where space exploration comes in. With the recent discovery of water on Mars, and the finding of Kepler-78b, it is possible that mankind can prolong our existence. The possibility of interstellar travel seems to be an option, or even a necessity, if we wish to continue living.
With a field as large as space is, metaphorically and literally, there is no end to all the advantages that can come of exploring the magnificent cosmos. One of the major questions we face currently is the possibility of life on other planets. “NASA's biggest ambition is the hunt for life and a habitat that can support life. Several planned or prepared missions will specifically explore the question of whether or not life exists, or once existed, elsewhere in out solar system” (Folger 3). That's exactly what we plan on using the Curiosity rover for. The MSL (Mars Space Laboratory) Curiosity rover was launched November 26th, 2011 and landed on Mars on August 6th, 2012 (Launch 2). “MSL Curiosity's mission is to analyze the climate, geology, and habitability of Mars to see if there is or has ever been life on Mars. Then, after gathering enough data, it will see if it's feasible to send a manned mission to Mars” (Anthony 2). We are already searching ...
Mars is a very similar planet to earth in relation to size and atmosphere. Therefore it seemed like the most likely place to search for life. At the end of the 19th century, an American named Percival Lowell built himself an observatory so that it was possible for him to study Mars in intimate detail when its orbit was closest to Earth. At this time it had recently been suggested that the planet had a system of channels on the surface, present from the evaporation of flowing water. Looking through his telescope Lowell became convinced he could see a network of artificial canals. This led him to believe that there were intelligent beings on Mars who had built these canals. However, spacecraft have now visited Mars and found that there is no evidence of water at all. It is now thought that the lines he could see were the combination of Lowell's overactive imagination, and scratches on the lens of his telescope. We are now searching one of Jupiter's moons, Europa, as this seems to be the next likely place to hold life.
...ws radiation from the sun to expose the surface of the planet, adding to environment changes. If life exists on Mars today, it is most likely hiding beneath the surface. Over the past four billion years Earth has had many rocks blown from the surface of Mars, after much research, scientists say that of the thirty-four meteorites, three have the potential to carry evidence of past life on Mars (Carey, 2006). Researches have gathered evidence and continue to explore for life outside of Earth. Earth has provided these scientists with enough knowledge to understand the components needed to sustain life, therefore any research found is compared to the knowledge already understood about life on Earth. Earth is home to billions of plants, animals, bacteria and all types of living things, it is where human beings have evolved and adapted making this planet our home.