We could terraform Mars with desert moss — but does that mean we should?

[Admin]

A desert-dwelling moss could survive the extremes of a Martian environment and bounce back every time.

We could terraform Mars with desert moss — but does that mean we should? : Read more

 

[Unclear Engineer]

A couple of thoughts:

1. For this moss to spread and more or less cover Mars, it would need to be compatible with the chemicals in the surface of Mars. Mars has a lot of perchlorates in its soil. Have experiments been performed here on Earth to see how that would affect the spread of the moss? See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_soil for other issues with Martian soil supporting vegetation.

2. Even if this moss could cover Mars, eventually, what effects would it have on the Martian atmosphere? Would it become more dense? Would it get a breathable percentage of oxygen? What are the actual benefits of getting Mars covered with this moss?

Regarding the "ethics" of changing the ecosystem on Mars, it seems to me that we first need to determine whether there is any ecosystem on Mars. And, I think that determination should have a high priority - mainly because it is a matter of knowledge that could be lost if not properly investigated.

But, once understood to be abiotic, I see no reason not to introduce biological elements to the Martian surface.

On the other hand, if we do discover some sort of life on Mars, then I think we need to be careful not to disrupt it before we understand it. That is not because I think we need to be "fair" to bacteria or even amoebas - it is because it is in our own best interest to learn as much as we can about life that evolved somewhere besides on Earth. So long as humans still eat cows, pigs, chickens and just about all other forms of life on Earth, it would seem strange to give Martian microscopic life forms more rights than we give animals on our home planet.

However, if we discover an underground society of large animals, that would get into some more ethical issues. But, I don't think anybody is expecting that.

 

[Classical Motion]

Is the surface of Mars under constant radiation? Will Mars allow any life in the soil? Can any plant live thru that quick change in temp? It's a whopper and doesn't take months of steps to change.

There really wasn't much information about growing there. It reverted to the big questions of going and what to do there.

It might be a question of what is permissible. Mars might not be green. Or at least not Earth green.

 

[Ken Fabian]

I'm not aware of any conditions under which such a plant could get liquid water - no rain, no dew, no frost melt because water vapor content of atmosphere is too low. I think the moss will just get desiccated and die. And if I understand correctly moss reproduction requires the presence of liquid water for the gametes to meet.

 

[Classical Motion]

If moss was one of the first plants, it does seem reasonable that the water requirement would be high. The moss I know of live in damp areas.

But I might have seen dormant dried up moss in arid regions and not know it. I only know the wet kind.

 

[tkt]

If an atmosphere is created, what keeps it on the planet?

 

[Classical Motion]

Gravity with and ionized air cap on top. The top cap works with the Earth's M and E fields to bound the top ionized layer. Earth's EM fields also keep that air from being blown away with solar wind.

What air does escape is replaced with natural re-cycle processes. We do leave a trail thru space. A debris trail. All planets do, maybe not Mercury. Some say a faint trail.

This ionized blanket can wave much faster than water. And might turn out to become a very sensitive and valuable instrument. A large sensitive instrument.

The high atmosphere has properties just like quantum sensors do. If we could find a quick and precise alignment method, we might use it to detect the smallest of space "distortions". And one heck of a radio receiving antenna.

Many possibilities.

 

[Unclear Engineer]

Terraforming of Mars - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Classical Motion]

Maybe the easiest way to get an atmosphere on Mars is to take it out to a gas planet and dip it.

 

[ThinkitThroughPeople]

There are a number of ways to regulate terraforming. You can ban it entirely, encourage it, or set up rules and criteria. The author of the article appears to be for banning. First off, if there is the potential for a large profit or gain, the ban everything position will be crushed. So how do we limit damage, call it the "Pandora" problem. A planet with something of value, inhabited, but not hospitable (even a chlorine vs oxygen based animal life atmosphere).

 

[Ken Fabian]

No great urgency to regulating terraforming but some good arguments for avoiding contamination with Earth life as long as searching for evidence of life is a priority. If someone wants to find out if there is any Earth based life could survive they will do better to recreate the conditions on Earth - no real need to go to Mars for that, just for knowing better what the conditions are to recreate them better.

But there is no real prospect for terraforming Mars and throwing terrestrial biology at it to see if any sticks seems of little value. I'm doubtful it would actually spread "contamination" that would mess with a search for evidence of past or existing Mars life but more doubtful anything would be gained by trying it. Unless we are talking underground liquid water I think the differences will be between Earth life that dies quickly versus dies slowly.

If there is good cause to try some Earth life on Mars it can be done in ways that localize and quarantine it.

 

[Questioner]

There is virtually no atmosphere to speak of on Mars.
Presumably what it likely had got scoured away by solar winds.

Without a magnetic field/shield terraforming is 'spitting into the wind'......long term pointless.

Going to fantasy solutions,
If we could install a relatively massive moon/twin-planet tidal friction would remoltenize Mars' core and re-engage its former magnetic field.

 

[Unclear Engineer]

People have talked about doing things like introducing SF6 into the atmosphere to serve as an ultra strong greenhouse gas. That would increase temperature, but not do much for air pressure. And it certainly would not be breathable. And, it would not be any good for photosynthesis.

And, I wonder about the chemical stability of SF6 in the solar radiation.

I don't think it would be economically feasible to transport a lot of Earth chemicals to Mars, so whatever plan anybody comes up with is most likely going to need to depend on what can be sourced on Mars.

And, what is the point of having desert moss just barely surviving on Mars? Unless we can make the Martian landscape biologically productive for our own needs, I don't see the point in messing with its environment.

We would probably not learn everything there is to learn about Mars soon enough to not destroy some information about its history when we terraform it, even if we don't do it for a long time into the future.

 

[Hardcrunchyscience]

Maybe the easiest way to get an atmosphere on Mars is to take it out to a gas planet and dip it.

You forgot your smiley faces . . . .

 

[Questioner]

Domes or caverns on Mars seems the most plausible for the time being.

If one could skim Jupiter's atmosphere and then freeze it into organic ices that seems like a way of getting basic organic shipped around the Solar system.