Life on Mars

[Storyteller.]

Life on Mars
By Chess (Syzygy.)

When people hear the term ‘Martian,’ they likely picture the type of image put forward in science fiction films and popular culture. They are often seen as ‘little green men,’ humanoid, or something so totally bizarre that their very existence could be questionable even if they were standing right in front of you. However, the idea of life on Mars may not be as far-fetched as it sounds, and it is an area of intense study and debate at the present time.

Background

Before more sophisticated technology was developed, early astronomers who looked at Mars came up with the idea that the lines they could see on the surface of the planet were canals, and that this proved there had to be intelligent life on the planet. It was later discovered that these lines were in fact ridges and valleys, formed by geological processes, and did not provide any evidence for life.

Still, the idea of life on Mars took hold in the minds of the public, and many novels, television shows, and movies have been based on it. Most people have heard of things such as Mars Attacks!, The War of the Worlds, Total Recall, and even Futurama; Martians in popular culture are often portrayed as either malignant invaders or intelligent and advanced allies, often involved in either destroying or saving the world. While this kind of scenario is unlikely to happen, there is some tentative evidence that life might exist on Mars.

Current research

If it does exist, this life is likely to be microscopic, which is partly why it has been so difficult to conclusively prove its existence. 'Curiosity', the current rover on Mars, is equipped with instruments to give scientists a better understanding of the composition of the planet. Although there has yet to be any ‘eureka’ moment where conclusive evidence of life has been found, there are many signs indicating that Mars could have potentially been a suitable site for life. For example, it has been discovered that it was probably warm and wet in the past, which could have given rise to life. It is a terrestrial planet (that is, Earth-like) which makes it one of the most likely planets to harbour life, at least within our solar system.

Aside from searching for life on the planet itself, there is also a lot of work being done on meteorites – pieces of an object in space (such as a planet or asteroid), in this case Mars, that have fallen to Earth. One of the most well-researched Martian meteorites is known as ALH84001, but even these thorough studies have not lead to any conclusive results about possible life on Mars. One of the reasons for this is that the evidence is open to interpretation – what one person considers to be small fossils might in fact be structures caused by abiotic processes (that is, not formed by life). It can often be difficult, if not impossible, to tell the difference.

Significance

Given the amount of time, money, and resources going into the search for Martian life, it’s logical to wonder why it even matters for us here on Earth. What will we gain if there is life on Mars? What will we lose if there is none? The answers to these questions are not simple, and are still somewhat contentious. There is the possibility that Mars may provide a source for elements which are either useful or unknown to humans; also, much like knowledge of life on Earth informs our search for life on Mars, if there was life on ‘the Red Planet’ that was fundamentally or even just slightly different to life on Earth, it could give scientists new ideas about the very concept of life.

The likelihood of being able to fully colonise Mars, especially given the current limitations of technology, is low. The atmosphere is much thinner than that of Earth, which means that humans are not able to be on the surface without protective gear and breathing equipment. The climate is also vastly different to Earth, and the strong winds and cold temperatures make it unlikely that humans will ever be able to comfortably live on the surface, even supposing that water were present. That said, there are some people who do believe it is possible; for example, Mars One is a mission which aims to set up a permanent human colony on Mars in 2023. However, research is being done into the possibility of having humans stationed on Mars in special accommodation. For example, the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) is a ‘stimulated Mars habitat,’ designed to mimic the difficulties human explorers on Mars would face. Even if colonisation is unlikely, it’s probable that people will walk on Mars one day.

The debate surrounding the evidence for life on Mars continues, and will for some time yet. As technology advances, so does the likelihood of finding conclusive proof of life on Mars, if it is there – but proving that life does not exist on Mars could be almost impossible. To be able to determine whether there is life on Mars, we need to have a clear definition of what 'life' actually is, as well as reliable ways to detect it. Scientists are still working on this, and an answer may one day be found.