Why Mars Is the Best Planet
Human beings have long been in the search for habitable planets in the universe. Even with the vastness of the observable universe, humanity has discovered some planets that excite exploration and appear to be homely to our race. Even though no planet has met all the Earthlike characteristics of supporting life, explorations have revealed promising planets like planet Mars. Arguably, there has been a long debate on Mars’ habitability and whether human beings should continue exploring the red planet. From the article by Boyle, Mars is inhabitable, but it appeals to exploration due to its proximity and relationship with the earth, and still, it ignites imagination because it has many earthlike features prompting the belief that it supports life.
Mars appeals to exploration because it is very close to Earth. Arguably, among all the other planets, Mars is the closest extraterrestrial body near earth. “It’s practically right next door, and you can fling a robot there in half a year” (Boyle 2017). Scientists have occasionally launched visits to the moon from earth, but even so, the moon is not a planet. Mars exploration started mainly because people, even centuries ago, could see it with the naked eye. Further exploration incorporated glass in telescopes that aided to bring the space mystery closer for observation. The proximity of mars is also evident from the many stories and legends of the past that spoke of the red planets. Boyle 2017 argues that it was easily observable since it was incorporated in Chinese, Roman, Greek, and Hindu mythologies. Therefore, many astronomers continue to explore mars because it is very close to our home planet.
Equally important, the close relationship between Earth and Mars make it a suitable spot for exploration. Unlike many other planets, Mars has a rocky surface and offers better ground for scientific studies and exploration. According to Boyle 2017, mars and earth share a similar birth period and are among the many planets in the solar system. Essentially the article reveals that mars have many features resembling earth, such as the mountainous landscapes, ancient rivers, and valleys. Moreover, according to Boyle, “Its day (called a sol) is just 40 minutes longer than our own” (Boyle 2017). This means that if there is a chance that it supports life, days in mars will not be so different from earth’s days. Therefore, many believe that studying mars might reveal the early stages of the earth’s development or even reveal humankind’s future.
Additionally, mars ignite the imagination because of its earthlike features. This includes the canals and the probability of finding water at its poles. Boyle 2017 reveals that “It became even easier to imagine Mars as a place just like Earth, positively crawling with life.” The earth is suitable for life because of the existence of liquid water. When Giovanni identified the martian canals, it was proof that probably mars had life and aliens existed. People began imagining the possible existence of alien life on the planet compared to intelligent life on earth.
All in all, mars is indeed an astonishing planet. Mars ultimately appeals to exploration with its proximity to earth and the significant resemblance to our home planet. Further, these features excite our imagination since if the earth has intelligent life, then mars perhaps holds the possibility of harboring life. Truly, humanity’s advancement in technologies might propel us further into the universe and reveal more earthlike planets. However, before we become versed with the physics of interstellar travel, mars are perhaps the best chance at studying what other planets look like and whether we have a chance at relocating to new planets in the future.
References
Boyle, R. (2017). Why Mars Is the Best Planet. The Atlantic. Retrieved 10 October 2020, from https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/01/mars-is-the-best-planet/512654/.