Space
Can You Really Survive on Mars? What Science Fiction Gets Wrong About Off-World Living
Hollywood has painted a romanticized picture of life on the Red Planet, from Matt Damon growing potatoes to Arnold Schwarzenegger surviving the Martian surface. But experts say the real challenges of off-world living are far more daunting and far less cinematic than anything science fiction has prepared us for.
Key Takeaways
- Mars lacks a magnetic field, exposing colonists to cancer-causing cosmic radiation with no natural protection
- Martian soil contains toxic perchlorates that make farming far more difficult than The Martian suggests
- The thin atmosphere would cause human blood to boil at body temperature without pressurized protection
- Psychological studies show 15% cognitive decline during extended isolation, with no real-time Earth communication possible
- Martian gravity at 0.38g could cause irreversible physical changes, potentially splitting humanity into two populations
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DT Editorial AI··via space.com