We need to take care of the Earth and we humans are failing to do that by many measures. If you think we can just move humans to Mars, you should understand that Mars is not a great place to live, not at present anyway. In fact, it is currently not possible, since humans have never (officially, as far as we know) landed on Mars. There are currently several big obstacles that would make living on Mars very challenging:
1. Lack of breathable air: Mars’ atmosphere is mainly carbon dioxide, making it unbreathable for humans. It lacks the nitrogen and oxygen concentrations needed for human respiration.
2. Lack of liquid water: Though Mars has evidence of water, it is mainly in the form of ice or vapor. This means that it would be difficult to sustain human life for an extended period of time. There is very little liquid water on Mars, which is essential for human survival.
3. Extreme temperature fluctuations: Mars’ surface temperature can fluctuate between -195°F and 70°F, making it difficult for humans to adapt.
4. Radiation exposure: Mars does not have a magnetic field to shield inhabitants from harmful cosmic radiation. Protecting astronauts from this radiation would be necessary to prevent long-term health issues.
5. Low atmospheric pressure: Mars has a thin atmosphere, so the pressure at its surface is only about 1% of that on Earth. This can lead to health problems as well as issues with maintaining a stable environment.
6. Gravity differences: Mars has only 38% of the gravity that Earth has. This low gravity can have negative effects on the human body, such as muscle and bone loss, cardiovascular problems, and impaired immune systems, which would need to be addressed for long-term living on the planet.
7. Limited resources: Resources such as food, fuel, and building materials would need to be either brought from Earth or developed from Martian resources, which could prove difficult and expensive.
8. Psychological challenges: Living on Mars would be mentally demanding due to isolation, confinement, and lack of connection to Earth. This could lead to psychological problems and interpersonal conflicts among inhabitants. The long duration of isolation, confinement, and limited contact with loved ones on Earth can have significant psychological impacts on astronauts. Maintaining mental well-being during extended missions to Mars would need to be a priority.
9. Cost: Sending missions to Mars and establishing a sustainable colony would be an immensely expensive endeavor. The high costs associated with developing new technologies, spacecraft, and infrastructure would pose a major obstacle to living on Mars.
10. Sustainable food and resource production: Establishing a self-sustainable colony on Mars would require developing technologies and systems for growing food, generating energy, recycling waste, and utilizing available resources, such as Martian soil or ice. Overcoming these challenges would be crucial for long-term survival.
11. Travel Distance: Mars is approximately 225 million kilometers away from Earth, which means that any missions to the planet would require months of travel time. This would result in a significant isolation from Earth and limited opportunities for communication.
Human survival will probably eventually rely upon human settlements on Mars because that planet has a longer lifespan (about 1 billion years longer) than that of our own planet due to the increasing luminosity and size expansion of our sun which is projected to occur over long spans of upcoming time.
