Scientists are taking a fresh look at the idea of terraforming Mars. A new study suggests that transforming the Red Planet to support life might be possible with recent technological advancements. “Thirty years ago, terraforming wasn’t just hard — it was impossible,” said Erika DeBenedictis, CEO of Pioneer Labs and lead author of the paper.
But new technologies like those developed by SpaceX and advances in synthetic biology have now made it a real possibility.
The research discusses the complex ethical questions involved and proposes a potential path forward. Advocates argue that terraforming Mars could mark humanity’s first act of planetary stewardship with a net positive environmental impact. “Living planets are better than dead ones,” said study co-author Edwin Kite, an associate professor at the University of Chicago.
We know from data returned by the Mars rovers that Mars was once habitable, so greening Mars could be viewed as the ultimate environmental restoration challenge.
While full terraforming may take centuries, the long-term goal would be a Mars with stable liquid water, breathable oxygen, and a thriving ecosystem. In the short term, this might mean only small patches of microbial life; in the distant future, larger ecosystems and even cities could be possible. Terraforming Mars could also help to solve climate and sustainability challenges on Earth.
Nina Lanza, a planetary scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and a co-author of the paper, views Mars as a prime testbed for planetary engineering. Developing green technologies for Mars could accelerate their adoption on Earth, notes DeBenedictis. Mars is a unique target market because it has no existing infrastructure and no status quo.
For this reason, developing green technologies for space can mature them for use on Earth.
However, scientists caution that we need to carefully consider the ethical implications.
Exploring Mars’ transformation potential
“If we decide to terraform Mars, we will change it in ways that may not be reversible,” said Lanza.
“Mars has its own history, and by terraforming, we may lose the opportunity to study that history and learn about how planets form and evolve.”
Terraforming Mars would require substantial technological advancements. The authors propose three phases for achieving this:
1. Abiotic Climate Engineering: Techniques such as deploying reflective solar sails or laying aerogel tiles to warm the surface and melt subsurface ice.
2. Introduction of Microbes: Genetically engineered microbes capable of surviving in Mars’ harsh conditions to begin altering planetary chemistry. 3.
Building a Complex Biosphere: Increasing atmospheric pressure and oxygen content to support more advanced plant life, eventually allowing humans to breathe unassisted. As we continue to innovate new technologies and undertake missions to Mars, the path to terraforming might begin with small-scale experiments. “Upcoming Mars surface missions should include experiments to de-risk terraforming strategies,” said DeBenedictis.
While fully terraforming Mars might take generations, decisions need to start now. “We should continue doing this science — it’s transformational,” concluded Lanza. The study was published last month in the journal Nature Astronomy.
Deanna Ritchie is a managing editor at DevX. She has a degree in English Literature. She has written 2000+ articles on getting out of debt and mastering your finances. She has edited over 60,000 articles in her life. She has a passion for helping writers inspire others through their words. Deanna has also been an editor at Entrepreneur Magazine and ReadWrite.
