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Scientist Explains Weird Shit That Would Happen To Humans If We Moved To Mars

Scientist Explains Weird Shit That Would Happen To Humans If We Moved To Mars

Would it be just like Total Recall?

Michael Minay

Michael Minay

Lets' face it, there'll come a point (probably sooner rather than later) when us lot will have to pack up, climb aboard a rocket, and head to Mars.

We often have the same thoughts: what would we live in? Will we be able to breathe alright? And how will we eat and drink?

Scratch that. The first thing we'll think (along with the probability of dying, is what if we're not alone on Mars?

Scientists every day are making discoveries that could question if we are the only ones in the universe.

Well we know Mars isn't as hot as Mercury or Venus, or as cold as Pluto and it's nowhere near as gassy as Jupiter and Saturn.

Could Mars be the future home of us humans? Credit: PA

But there are huge differences. It has temperatures that put the Antarctic to shame - for comparison as I write this article it's -61c at the South Pole, chances are at Mars it'll be closer to -125c. We can't live like that.

The biggest element in the Earth's atmosphere is Nitrogen (78 percent), for Mars it's Carbon Dioxide at 95 percent - it's 0.04 percent CO2 on Earth, if you're interested. Yep, that will very much kill us.

Try breathing in some of that. Credit: TriStar Pictures

So, either we should plant a shit load of trees (without water) or adapt bloody quickly.

It's that latter point that American biologist Scott Solomon, who works in the biology department at Rice University, Texas, has emphasised in his latest book.

In his 'Future Humans: Inside the Science of Our Continuing Evolution', he's said humans would be subjected to the 'founder effect'.

This is where a species must adapt very quickly due to the population being small in a new environment.

Humans would have to adapt quickly to the red and dusty planet. Credit: PA

There are big concerns around this as it creates a genetic bottleneck which, in turn, accelerates mutations.

When we talk rapid, we don't mean your first child on Mars will have gills and find nourishment in red dust.

Rapid, in evolution terms, means a few hundred generations. Possibly as few as 6,000 years.

It puts further proof to Busted's 'Year 3000' song being false. Even with 'rapid evolution' we wouldn't be seeing "triple breasted women, swimming around town" by 3000AD.

Solomon writes in his book: "This happens routinely to animals and plants isolated on islands... but while speciation on islands can take thousands of years, the accelerated mutation rate on Mars and the stark contrasts between conditions on Mars and Earth would likely speed up the process."

How about a few examples to make this easier?

Mars has weak gravity compared to Earth. This could cause a rapid loss in bone density which would equal more broken bones, initially.

'I'm just big boned' will now become a valid excuse on Mars. Credit: PA

Solomon says that, over time... "after many generations, Martian people could end up with naturally thicker bones... lending them a more robust appearance."

There's also greater radiation on Mars (yay, rejoice). Our bodies would then need to produce increased carotenoid, which will help protect them.

As a result, it's likely humans will become more orange in looks, a bit like a carrot.

The best way to imagine what this looks like is to go to a tanning salon in Doncaster.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: mars, Earth