What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Mars?
I ask because that dusty red rock has been a documented feature of human culture for at least four millennia, so I think most people will have a ‘thing’ they immediately associate with the planet.
For me, it’s Jeff Wayne’s synthy masterpiece adaptation of HG Wells’s The War of the Worlds.
Specifically, the first track (although all of it is excellent). More specifically: “but still… they come.”
If you’ve never heard it, pause your reading here and go listen; I guarantee you nine minutes of giddy goosebumps.
Our crimson planetary sibling loves a bit of media attention, both factual and fictional.
Mars Attacks!? Fictional.
Interesting black specks on rocks that could be evidence of long-ago microbial activity? Factual.
A fella across the pond saying he will have colonised Mars within a decade? Factual that he said it, but otherwise very much fictional.
But, hear me out here: I do not think humans should go to Mars. Certainly not to live and probably not even to visit.
Don’t get me wrong; it’s a wonderful little planet. If I discovered an exo-Mars twin, I’d be thrilled.
After all, it’s in the so-called ‘habitable zone’ of its host star and it’s got an atmosphere of sorts.
But compared with Earth, Mars is absolutely pants.
Its measly atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide, it’s dustier than the top of my wardrobe and it’s really chilly.
Also, as far as we know, it’s a bit too dry.
Mars is no Earth 2.0
The whole narrative of us living on Mars relies either on terraforming the planet (not a thing we can do) or living inside dome-like mini habitats.
Even if this were possible, it would take a comically large amount of time and money to achieve anything remotely like a human colony.
And what could we do instead with that time and money? Address some of the problems we have on Earth.
Because yes, the reasoning behind sending humans to Mars, at least in some circles, is that it would be a solid back-up plan if things go south on our home planet.
But I cannot stress enough how daft an idea I think this is.
Clearly, things are getting dire here climate-wise, but it’s not yet unsalvageable.
The other thing to consider is that we are the problem here, not our planet of residence.
As the adage goes, ‘wherever we go, there we’ll be’, so taking ourselves somewhere less hospitable and hoping for an altogether better outcome feels like an odd choice.
Also – and this point is of supreme importance – there are no dogs on Mars, so really what’s the point?
Bring Mars to us
I think it’s absolutely thrilling that we might be able to reduce Solar System travel times – not so we can go there in person, but so we can more feasibly get samples back from Mars and other bodies.
Sample-return missions are where it’s at for me. Bring me all the space rocks. Analyse them in labs. Make outstanding graphs.
Regardless, the discussion around crewed missions to the Red Planet will continue.
Those who question the ethics and efficiency of such a plan will continue to push back.
But there’s grandstanding to be done, and profit to be made, so the chances of this debate ending any time soon… well, they’re a million to one, I’d say.
Do you think we should send humans to Mars and colonise the planet? Let us know by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
