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Why dont we send plant seeds to Mars?

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  • 02-07-2015 11:33am
    #1
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,866 ✭✭✭


    So as the question says....why don't we send a space ship full of seeds to Mars to see if we can establish plant life on the planet?


    I understand there are issues like cold/heat/no water etc...but surely Nasa could come up with something to solve that problem (at least initially).?


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    #2
    Ash.J.Williams
    Registered Users Posts: 21,051 ✭✭✭✭Ash.J.Williams


    daheff wrote: »
    So as the question says....why don't we send a space ship full of seeds to Mars to see if we can establish plant life on the planet?


    I understand there are issues like cold/heat/no water etc...but surely Nasa could come up with something to solve that problem (at least initially).?
    I read once that the only thing stopping sheep thriving on mars is the lack of grass. A giant Curragh would be awesome!


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    #3
    Myrddin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    With no magnetic field to protect the atmosphere, any 'terraforming' would seem a complete waste of time no?


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    #4
    2 stroke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭2 stroke


    I think that its important to establish if there is any existing life on mars before we kill it all off.


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    #5
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 91,790 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    2 stroke wrote: »
    I think that its important to establish if there is any existing life on mars before we kill it all off.
    This.

    Finding life on mars that was different to life here would answer some questions but raise far more interesting ones.

    Mars is much smaller than Earth. At it's peak our population was doubling every 30 years. So even a completely terraformed Mars would only provide a short respite there.


    Besides the conditions on Mars are not conducive to life. You'd need a greenhouse to provide warmth and perhaps a bit of pressure to get liquid water or close to it. Outside the soil is very oxidising so not so good.


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    #6
    dbran
    Registered Users Posts: 2,094 ✭✭✭dbran


    Plants need Oxygen to grow, live and respire.

    The martian atmosphere is devoid of Oxygen (less the 1%). They cannot survive in a 95% carbon dioxide environment.

    There is also the issue of harmful solar radiation that is unfiltered by the rarefied martian air

    dbran


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    #7
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 91,790 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    dbran wrote: »
    Plants need Oxygen to grow, live and respire.

    The martian atmosphere is devoid of Oxygen (less the 1%). They cannot survive in a 95% carbon dioxide environment.

    There is also the issue of harmful solar radiation that is unfiltered by the rarefied martian air

    dbran
    Fancy land plants maybe, but they were never going to survive on Mars. Blue green algae and things like lichens would have a better chance. Also some of those guys live inside rocks down here.

    Stromatolites have been around for several billion years and prove that plants can exude suncream


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    #8
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,866 ✭✭✭daheff


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    This.

    Finding life on mars that was different to life here would answer some questions but raise far more interesting ones.

    Mars is much smaller than Earth. At it's peak our population was doubling every 30 years. So even a completely terraformed Mars would only provide a short respite there.


    Besides the conditions on Mars are not conducive to life. You'd need a greenhouse to provide warmth and perhaps a bit of pressure to get liquid water or close to it. Outside the soil is very oxidising so not so good.
    dbran wrote: »
    Plants need Oxygen to grow, live and respire.

    The martian atmosphere is devoid of Oxygen (less the 1%). They cannot survive in a 95% carbon dioxide environment.

    There is also the issue of harmful solar radiation that is unfiltered by the rarefied martian air

    dbran
    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    Fancy land plants maybe, but they were never going to survive on Mars. Blue green algae and things like lichens would have a better chance. Also some of those guys live inside rocks down here.

    Stromatolites have been around for several billion years and prove that plants can exude suncream

    I would have thought there are some sort of plants that could survive the martian atmosphere....I'm sure if Nasa were sending over seeds they could send over a 'pop up' type greenhouse/canopy thingy? Bit of water, too....and the seeds could start germinating.....and over time propagate and mutate to suit the climate. Surely that's whats happened on earth over time.


    Aside from that, I understand the point about trying to find life on Mars first before killing it off. However, i'd expect that if there is anything there, its microbes and the like, and Nasa would be unlikely to find it without putting man out there.


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