At Home on Mars

We know that it is very cold on Mars. Scientists recorded the temperature of Mars in several places on the planet. They took these temperatures to discover the average temperature on Mars, which is - 60 degrees Celsius. Because the temperature is so low, there is no liquid on Mars, only ice. .......................................................... Many scientists think so. In fact, they are already working on plans to turn Mars into a new Earth. Humans need three basic things to live: water to drink, air to breathe, and food to eat. Because of the lack of these necessities, it isn’t possible to live on Mars right now. For one thing, there is not enough oxygen. There is also no liquid water—just some ice. So how can we make Mars habitable? The answer, say scientists, is a process called terraforming. Terraforming means changing the environment of a planet so that it is similar to Earth’s. On Mars, the average temperature is about minus 60 degreesCelsius. So one of the main goals of terraforming Mars is to warm it up. One idea for warming Mars comes from a problem here on Earth—climate change. Most scientists agree that Earth is becoming warmer due to increased levels of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. We might create similar conditions on Mars by building factories that release greenhouse gases. The gases will change the atmosphere on Mars. Rain will fall, and it may be possible to grow plants for food. The plants will add more oxygen to the air. .......................................................... Terraforming Mars will probably be a thousand-year project, starting with several survey missions. The flight to Mars will take six months, and each mission might last 18 months. .......................................................... Each new mission will build more habitation modules—places to live. These will allow future visitors to spend more time on Mars and learn more about living on the planet. .......................................................... Even 1,000 years from now, there may still not be enough oxygen for humans to breathe. People on Mars may still need to use equipment similar to scuba gear.