should we make mars earth like?
- Thread starter drychlick
- Start date
I think that would be easier for the time being. Maybe to start with we should send some water ahead of us, some grass seed. Let that get the process started. Once the grass took hold, send some small bushes, then tree's. Could take a while, but I guess the ice caps would eventually melt supplying more water.i i said yes we will not have to bring air or water then! or should we keep it the way it is ?
Well, realistically, at some point, we may have to. It's just a question of how far we want to take it... do we want a full-scale open Earth-like world, which would be a global terraformation, or would we remain happy with "biodome" communities?
In my 2900 story, the terraformation of Mars is a BIG part of the story. It's not a fast process... in the story, it takes all of 650 years to make Mars just like Earth, and IMO, that's a very quick amount of time... I would not be surprised if in reality, it were to take much longer. So you'd have to be patient.
And then, there were the environmental groups in the story, like Redpeace, who wanted mankind to keep away from Mars, and leave it in its natural state. I would envision that when we DO have the ability to terraform worlds, that there will be some environmental groups that will agrue against such undertakings.
So, it can be done... and eventually, probably should be done. We just have to be able to commit ourselves to the length and problems that such a thing would entail.
In my 2900 story, the terraformation of Mars is a BIG part of the story. It's not a fast process... in the story, it takes all of 650 years to make Mars just like Earth, and IMO, that's a very quick amount of time... I would not be surprised if in reality, it were to take much longer. So you'd have to be patient.
And then, there were the environmental groups in the story, like Redpeace, who wanted mankind to keep away from Mars, and leave it in its natural state. I would envision that when we DO have the ability to terraform worlds, that there will be some environmental groups that will agrue against such undertakings.
So, it can be done... and eventually, probably should be done. We just have to be able to commit ourselves to the length and problems that such a thing would entail.
Are there any life forms that originated on Mars? If so it might be considered unethical to terraform it.
Unicellular life on Mars isn't going to evolve into anything intelligent unless it is given a helping hand.
I guess it might be considered unethical for your body to kill the unfortunate viruses and bacteria seeking nourishment from it, but that's the way it goes...
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If we transform mars, I say do it.
So are you saying life on earth was given a helping hand? By whom?
So are you saying life on earth was given a helping hand? By whom?
Bit of a difference between immune response to a threatening micro-organism, and wiping out the ecosystem of an entire planet to suit our comforts.
"Mars did not choose life. It chose this."
Earth first. We can log the rest of the planets later 
You're right. The proper thing to do is to stay here on Earth and leave the rest of the universe alone... safe.
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Hold off on the terraforming - looks like there might be life *beneath* the surface of Mars (per today's Boston Globe):
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2009/01/15/methane_plume_on_mars_a_sign_of_life/
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2009/01/15/methane_plume_on_mars_a_sign_of_life/
That is not at all what he said and you know it.
Despite you twisting others' meanings, I think I'm going to agree with you, in a way. If there is life on Mars, we should not terraform just to do it. We should, however, do so if we need to leave Earth for some reason and there is only microbial life on Mars. I choose human life over microbial life that's not going to have time to evolve into anything anyway.
It's official... Mars is populated by herds of underground farting cows.
Similar themes pop up in Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy. His books have three basic responses, the Greens, in favour of terraforming, which end up including most of the transnationtional corporations on Mars, the Reds, who are against terraforming with many turning to terrorism. Finally, there are those who believe in Areophany, meaning that Mars will provide it's own meaning, and that Mars will never become a second Earth, but rather it's own unique place. That's more what I think would happen should we ever try to terraform the planet.
Not to mention the scientific opportunities that we would be wasting by destroying the first discovered extraterrestrial ecosystem (assuming that it does exist, of course).
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