Is life possible on Mars? This is one of the most trending questions scientists are trying to solve. According to the latest reports, scientists have devised a novel method to warm Mars by introducing engineered particles—similar in size to commercial glitter and composed of iron or aluminium—into its atmosphere as aerosols.
These particles would help trap escaping heat and scatter sunlight onto the Martian surface. The goal is to enhance Mars' natural greenhouse effect, potentially increasing its surface temperature by about 50 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius) over a decade. While this approach alone wouldn't make Mars habitable for humans, the researchers view it as a feasible first step toward long-term planetary warming.
"Terraforming refers to modifying a planet's environment to make it more Earth-like. For Mars, warming the planet is a necessary, but insufficient, first step. Previous concepts have focused on releasing greenhouse gases, but these require large amounts of resources that are scarce on Mars," said University of Chicago planetary scientist Edwin Kite, who helped lead the study published this week in the journal Science Advances.
NASA has deployed robotic rovers to explore the Martian surface and the InSight Lander to investigate the planet's interior. Additionally, the U.S. space agency's Artemis program is working towards landing astronauts on the Moon for the first time since 1972, setting the stage for potential future human missions to Mars.
Human settlement on Mars faces several challenges, including a lack of breathable oxygen, harmful ultraviolet radiation from its thin atmosphere, soil too salty for crop growth, and pervasive dust storms. However, the planet's extremely cold temperatures present one of the most significant obstacles.
"The idea is to either ship the material or better yet, ship the manufacturing tool and make the nanorods on the planet since iron and aluminium are abundant on the surface of Mars," Ansari said.
The researchers are aware of the potential unintended consequences of terraforming another world for human benefit. Scientists are particularly interested in discovering whether Mars has ever supported life in the past or might currently harbour subsurface microbes.
“Although nanoparticles could warm Mars, both the benefits and potential costs of this course of action are currently uncertain. For example, in the unlikely event that Mars’ soil contains irremediable compounds toxic to all Earth-derived life, then the benefit of warming Mars is nil. On the other hand, if a photosynthetic biosphere can be established on the surface of Mars, that might increase the solar system’s capacity for human flourishing,” Kite added. “On the costs side, if Mars has extant life, then study of that life could have great benefits that warrant robust protections for its habitat,” added Kite.
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