Episode 031
On this episode…
In the previous weeks Mars has become again point of discussion specially after the announcement by Elon Musk regarding his plan to colonize the red planet.
We start the show with few facts about Mars like:
- The 4th planet from the sun.
- About half the size of the Earth
- Far less dense than the Earth (about 11%)
- Because it’s less dense it’s gravity is less (about 38%)
- Surface material is dominated by red iron-oxide (rust)
- Lacks a magnetic field hence no protection from solar wind/cosmic rays (therefore no magnetosphere)
- Atmospheric pressure is approximately 100th of Earth’s
- Remaining atmosphere is 96% carbon dioxide
- In the deep past almost certainly had liquid water (oceans) on the surface
- Due to loss of atmosphere water can not now exist at the surface – except, it is thought, in low lying regions for short periods
- All remaining water is locked up either as ice or permafrost at the the poles
Once we settled those facts we went through some of the most common conspiracy theories and stories, movies and books.
What do you think about colonizing Mars? Would it be possible?
Share your comments with us!
Links:
Movies:
- Total Recall (1990)
- The War of The Worlds (book H.G. Wells) (1953) (2005)
- The War of the Worlds: Next Century, a Polish film by Piotr Szulkin
- The Martian (2015, Ridley Scott)
- List of movies set in Mars
Books:
Red Mars (Kim Stanley Robinson)
