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Mars and Earth share many similarities, from their terrain to the potential for life. However, Mars is devoid of the large amounts of water, oxygen, and atmospheric pressure that Earth has, making it inhospitable for life as we know it. Additionally, Mars is smaller in mass and size—roughly half the size of Earth or twice that of the Moon.
Though Mars might seem barren, its Earthlike characteristics draw surprising comparisons to our own planet. This is why many scientists believe that colonizing the 'Red Planet' could be a reality in the future.
10. Mars Experiences Four Seasons
Mars, like Earth, experiences four distinct seasons. However, unlike Earth, where each season spans three months, the duration of each season on Mars varies depending on the hemisphere.
A Martian year is 668.59 sols (Martian solar days), equivalent to around 687 Earth days, nearly double the length of an Earth year. In the northern hemisphere of Mars, spring lasts for seven Earth months, summer lasts for six, fall extends for 5.3 months, and winter lasts just over four months.
Martian summers in the northern hemisphere are also frigid, with temperatures rarely rising above -20 degrees Celsius (-4 °F). The southern hemisphere experiences comparatively warmer temperatures, sometimes reaching up to 30 degrees Celsius (54 °F) higher. This stark temperature difference often leads to massive dust storms across the planet.
9. Mars Has Its Own Aurora
Auroras, the stunning display of colorful lights, aren't exclusive to Earth. These light shows can occur on any planet, provided the right conditions exist. Mars has its own aurora, though humans on the planet won't be able to see it. The Martian aurora emits ultraviolet light, which is invisible to the human eye, unlike the colorful auroras we see on Earth.
Researchers were able to observe the Martian aurora using a special instrument on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission (MAVEN) spacecraft. While Earth's auroras are caused by charged electron particles interacting with the atmosphere, the Martian aurora results from the solar wind, which contains protons, colliding with the hydrogen cloud that surrounds Mars.
Earthlings won't experience a Martian-like aurora, as our planet's strong magnetic field protects us by diverting the solar wind to a much greater extent than Mars does. However, scientists believe that Venus and Titan (one of Saturn's moons) also experience auroras similar to Mars due to their lack of magnetic fields.
8. A Martian Day Is Just Slightly Longer Than an Earth Day
A day is defined by the time it takes a planet to rotate once on its axis. The planets with slower rotations experience longer days, while those with faster rotations have shorter days. Since each planet takes a different amount of time to complete a revolution, the length of a day varies significantly across the solar system.
On Earth, a day lasts 24 hours. Jupiter's day is much shorter at 9 hours, 55 minutes, and 29.69 seconds. Venus takes 116 days and 18 hours to complete a single rotation, while a day on Mars lasts 24 hours and 40 minutes. With such differences, how did Earth and Mars end up with similar day lengths?
It was pure coincidence.
Planets form when dust clouds released during star formation lose momentum while spinning. As they revolve, their rotation speeds can either increase or decrease when they collide with objects in their surroundings. Given the number of collisions, the planet's spin can change quite frequently.
Eventually, the planet clears out its surroundings and dominates its neighborhood. At this point, it stops colliding with other objects and settles into the rotational speed it had when it last impacted something.
7. Mars Contains Water
In 2008, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) detected water flowing down certain slopes on Mars. This water is only present during the summer, freezing up when the Martian winter sets in.
As mentioned earlier, the Martian summer is much colder than Earth's. However, traces of flowing water have been found on Mars, even though temperatures are typically below -23 degrees Celsius (-10 °F), a point at which you would expect only frozen water. So, what explains the flowing water?
Scientists remain uncertain, but they suggest that the presence of salt in the water could be the key. Salt lowers the freezing point of water, allowing it to remain liquid at temperatures where fresh water would typically freeze.
An alternative hypothesis suggests that the water may form when salt somehow comes into contact with ice. This could be plausible, as salt is known to melt ice.
However, scientists will be able to provide more accurate explanations once they identify the source of the water. For now, they believe it could be from melting ice, underground water, or water vapor from the Martian atmosphere.
6. Mars Has Polar Ice Caps and Glaciers
Like Earth, Mars has ice caps at both its north and south poles. Additionally, Mars features glaciers at central latitudes in both hemispheres. These glaciers were previously unnoticed, as they are hidden beneath a thick layer of dust.
The dust on Mars may be why the glaciers haven't evaporated. Due to Mars' low atmospheric pressure, surface ice or water would normally evaporate immediately. However, the ice sublimates directly into vapor, bypassing the liquid phase.
Scientists have discovered that Mars holds over 150 billion cubic meters (5.3 trillion ft³) of ice, enough to cover the planet's surface with a 1-meter (3.3 ft) layer. Whether this ice is made of frozen water, mud, or carbon dioxide remains an open question.
Even if the ice is made of water, is it the same as Earth's water? Scientists are still working to answer this question.
5. Mars Has Its Own Waterfalls
By studying images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), we've uncovered a geological feature on Mars similar to a waterfall found on Earth. However, instead of water, this Martian waterfall is made of molten rock (lava).
The lava erupts from four distinct locations along a 30-kilometer-diameter (19 mi) crater in Mars' Tharsis volcanic region, flowing like a waterfall. Lava behaves similarly to water, but flows at a much slower rate due to its higher viscosity and its sensitivity to temperature variations.
4. Mars is the Only Other Habitable Planet Besides Earth
In our solar system, planets are categorized as either terrestrial or gas giants. Terrestrial planets have solid, rocky surfaces, which makes them potential landing sites. These planets include Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
Gas giants are composed of toxic gases and lack a solid surface, making them uninhabitable. These planets include Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
As far as we know, Earth is the only planet in our solar system capable of supporting life. Mars comes in a close second, while the other planets are not so welcoming.
Mercury experiences extreme heat due to its close proximity to the Sun. However, Venus is even hotter, thanks to its thick atmosphere composed of carbon monoxide, which traps heat. This dense atmosphere is so powerful that it crushes anything that tries to enter, even meteors are destroyed before reaching the surface.
While Mars could potentially support life, it is not entirely hospitable. Special equipment and infrastructure would be required for survival. Some scientists working on human colonization have proposed creating an artificial magnetic field between Mars and the Sun. This would help shield the planet from solar winds, which currently strip away its atmosphere.
With the solar wind no longer affecting Mars, the planet's atmospheric pressure would rise. This would lead to a temperature increase and the melting of polar ice. The release of CO2 would trigger a greenhouse effect, causing water to flow once again.
Although the idea seems bold, we currently lack the necessary technology to generate a magnetic field on Mars.
3. Plants May Thrive On Mars
NASA is optimistic about the possibility of farming on Mars. In a joint experiment with the International Potato Center in Peru, NASA succeeded in planting potatoes in a specially designed box that simulated the harsh Martian climate.
However, the results were inconclusive, as the researchers used soil from the Pampas de la Joya desert in Peru. Although the soil had been sterilized to remove any living organisms, it might still have contained microbes that supported the growth of the plants.
The potatoes were also grown from potato cuts rather than seeds. This poses a challenge, as transporting potato cuts to Mars without damaging their cells would make planting unfeasible.
In a related experiment at Villanova University, students successfully grew lettuce, kale, garlic, and hops—but not potatoes. The potatoes failed to grow because the soil was too dense. Similar to NASA's experiment, volcanic basalt was used instead of Martian regolith. Though processed to resemble regolith, it didn't fully mimic the real thing.
Regolith is unsuitable for planting due to its perchlorate content, which is harmful to humans. The good news is that perchlorates can be eliminated by washing the regolith in water or by using bacteria that consume perchlorates. The latter method is preferable, as it also generates oxygen during the process.
The Sun is another important factor to consider before we can grow plants on Mars. The Red Planet receives only half the amount of sunlight that Earth does, and a significant portion of this light is blocked by the dust-filled Martian atmosphere. Even if scientists overcome this challenge, they must also address the hazardous ultraviolet radiation directly emitted by the Sun onto Mars.
2. Mars May Host Life
While life has not been confirmed on Mars, scientists believe that the Red Planet may currently support or may have once supported life. Curiosity, one of the rovers currently on Mars, discovered organic molecules in rocks within Gale Crater, a location that was once a lake billion years ago.
All living organisms contain four key organic molecules: proteins, nucleic acids, fats, and carbohydrates. These molecules are essential for life as we know it. While the presence of these molecules on Mars may suggest life, it is also possible for non-living things to produce them, making the discovery inconclusive.
But scientists have identified another clue that could indicate life on Mars: methane.
Methane is typically produced by living organisms. On Earth, most methane is generated by living creatures. Mars's atmosphere also contains methane, which is typically replaced every few hundred years. This suggests that something on Mars is continuously releasing methane into the atmosphere.
Scientists believe the methane on Mars may be released through chemical reactions or microbes. Some methane plumes have been observed on the planet, and intriguingly, methane production on Mars increases during the summer months and decreases in the winter—something not observed in living organisms on Earth.
1. Mars's Landforms May Have Developed Like Some Islands Form On Earth
Though uncommon, new islands can sometimes appear suddenly in the ocean. Over the past 150 years, we’ve witnessed three such islands form following underwater volcanic eruptions. The most recent and notable of these is Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai, which emerged off the coast of Tonga in the South Pacific Ocean.
NASA took an interest in the formation of this island, tracking its development. Although NASA initially thought the island would soon submerge, it has persisted. Now, NASA believes that this island will remain for several years before eventually sinking.
NASA has shown interest in the island as it provides valuable insight into how surface water might have shaped the landforms on Mars. Initially, the island was unstable and eroded by the ocean, but it became stable when volcanic dust reacted with salt water, solidifying its foundation.
According to scientists, this process mirrors the formation of landforms on Mars. Mars’s landforms likely began as unstable and watery, gradually solidifying over time.
