Mars! Mars, Mars, Mars – let’s colonize Mars! That’s the dream of thousands of space enthusiasts, with initiatives, plans and heck, even NFTs. It’s hard to imagine we wouldn’t be interested in visiting our red brother planet, but colonization? Will it really turn out like The Martian or 2001? Mars colonization raises questions and challenges far beyond the logistics of getting there. In fact, leading experts argue that life on Mars won’t be easy. Here are six reasons that life on Mars will suck for the first people who arrive.
Why would life on Mars suck? Let’s think it through. Sure, astronauts and scientists will likely be the first to land. What about the people who come afterward? What will life be like for the settlers, as it were? Those questions lead to some unpleasant answers. Let’s consider the six reasons life on Mars will suck, and then let’s talk about how we could solve those problems.
You’ll make bandages out of your own skin
When you get hurt or sick on Earth, we have a planet full of medical technology, staff, and infrastructure we can leverage to help you get better. Not so on Mars. Remember that story of the doctor on Antarctica who performed appendix surgery on himself because no other doctor was available? This is worse! Not only that, low gravity increases the time needed to heal injuries. According to this article, they hope to solve this problem with bioprinted bandages made from an astronaut’s own cells. Granted, this technology eliminates the need to pack millions of Band-Aids in the Mars colony care-packs, but still … Ew.
You might get eaten
Let’s remember, humans have had many, MANY failed colonies here on Earth. For example, the Lost Colony of Roanoke was set up in 1585 and found completely empty in 1587 – all 115 remaining members dead or assimilated into Native American tribes … no one really knows. The Clipperton Island colony fell under the mad tyranny of one colonist, and is a horror story unto itself. Now, think about how that might play out on a planet with no edible food or breathable air. Things could get hairy, fast! In fact, one researcher has gone so far as remark that ‘humans can degenerate very quickly when under severe conditions, and so if things were to go wrong on a space colony, people could turn to eating each other.’ All of this gives good reason to be as careful as possible when it comes to making sure all Mars settlers have food, clothing, and shelter of their own but still … Double-ew.
Even if you don’t get eaten, food will be boring
In most parts of the world, we take food for granted. Don’t feel like cooking, hit the drive-thru or order take-out. Not so when the nearest Sonic drive-in is 38.6 million miles (62.07 million kilometers) away! How do you make sure you aren’t eating rice and beans for six months because the last robot resupply shuttle failed to land? The issues are harder to solve than you think; Deep space radiation can have an effect on food, and we’re not really sure what it will be. Not only that, whatever The Martian might say, the first missions to Mars probably won’t have hydroponic greenhouses for food. Plus, the initial trip to Mars requires food to be pre-positioned, so it’s waiting for them when they arrive. That means, considering 6-month trip to Mars, all the food on Mars will be 5 to 7 years old when they get there. How do you make a 5 year old Pop-Tart taste good, and can you even get a Pop-Tart on Mars? Food scientists – yes, you can be a food scientist – are working hard on these problems now. Some answers to those questions will simply have to wait until we have human tongues on Mars to taste their experiments. That’s right: as a Mars settler, your taste buds will be guinea pigs – does that make you hungry?
Wrapping Up
So yes, colony life tends to suck whether it happens on Earth or Mars. I’m bringing these issues up for a couple of reason: 1 – If you’re thinking about going to Mars, and yes it might happen in our lifetimes, you should know what you’re getting yourself into. 2 – By thinking of these problems now, you can be prepared to manage and even solve those problems once we get there! You might even invent a new food on Mars, a new medical procedure, or a new tool that makes life easier for everyone. That’s the opportunity in front of every one of us as we consider life on other planets. I’ll continue with the other three reasons of our Six Reasons Life on Mars Will Suck series in my next post.
Click Here to Read ‘Six Reasons Life on Mars Will Suck – Part II’
