Will Mars destroy us, or will we destroy Mars? Mars has not proved habitable for humans, but if scientists were to find a way, it would still be wrong to begin new human life there. Over many years, humans have become unsatisfied with what we have. What the Earth provided for us was apparently, never enough. We destroyed Earth – it is up to us to restore it, not move on just to ruin another planet.
One of the few planets that is visible to the naked eye, Mars is believed to have been discovered and observed by humans during the 1st Millennium BCE. However, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), founded in 1958, started exploring Mars in 1965. Scientists have concluded that there is no current life on Mars, but perhaps there once was. In July 2024, NASA proudly announced that their space rover, “Perseverance”, discovered a rock that contains evidence of water, meaning that there could have been life on Mars at some point in the past. Many believe that this means there is still a chance humans can colonize Mars, but this is incorrect.
With its extremely high radiation exposure, thin atmosphere, and harsh conditions, Mars has proved uninhabitable to humans. “Mars has only a very thin atmosphere, and it has no magnetosphere at all. So, radiation from space hits it’s surface at nearly full strength,” said evolutionary biologist, Dr Scott Solomon. Not only are humans bound to get cancer due to the radiation, but scientists have also found evidence that suggests humans will mutate and develop into a new human species on Mars. According to Solomon, one of the only ways humans have a chance of surviving the cancer-causing radiation on Mars is to consume large amounts of carotenoids. Having these pigments in our skin and bloodstream has a low chance of preventing the deadly impact of radiation, and will turn human skin orange.
Business Insider looked at the physical impact visiting space had on astronauts. They found that going into space for just a short period of time weakened bones and living on Mars is likely to shrink bodies. This on its own shows scientists that living full time in space could wither human skulls, causing neurological disorders and other life-threating illnesses.
Even if Mars did prove safe for humans to live on, Mars is not safe from humans. Our Earth is already in great danger due to our uncaring, selfish actions. It is horrendous to think of destroying another planet.
“We know [climate change] is largely caused by human activities because the key role that carbon dioxide plays in maintaining Earth’s natural greenhouse effect has been understood since the mid-1800’s,” said David Herring and Rebecca Lindsey from Climate.gov. From pollution to deforestation, many people are stuck in a routine of destroying the natural world. As a unit, it is up to us to stop littering, producing emissions, and destroying ecosystems. It is not right to destroy one planet just to go to the next. Stop wanting more. Our Earth has cared for us all these years, and it is about time we return the favour and stop the damage we caused.
Mars is not a place for humans. Colonizing Mars would be a race between who goes down first. Will Mars cause the extinction of the human race, or will humans disintegrate Mars? Let’s not find out.