|
|
|
|
The Greening of Mars |
| Section: NATURAL SCIENCE / SCIENCE ESSAY |
| Author: Charles Sheffield |
| Publication: The world & I online |
| Issue Date: 2/1/1998 |
| Size: 2,251 Words, 15,331 Characters |
|
The phrase "terraforming a planet" is somewhat misleading. Interpreted literally, it ought to mean that another world is to be made similar to Earth.vbcrlf In practice, that is impossible. No matter what we do we cannot make Mars, Venus, or any other planet of the solar system the same size as Earth, or give it an identical orbit. And if similarities in size and position were the criteria for planetary terraforming, Venus would win hands down. Venus is often spoken of as a "sister world" to Earth. It is only 5 percent smaller in radius and closer to us than any other world except our own Moon. A man or woman who weighs 140 pounds here would weigh 127 pounds on Venus--hardly enough change to notice. But that same person would weigh 370 pounds o...
. . .
... with other great enterprises for human attention and resources.vbcrlf We must also recognize that the priorities of our remote descendants, 5,000 years hence, may no more resemble ours than we reflect the urgent concerns of our earliest ancestors. The terraforming of Mars is a possible, but by no means an inevitable, part of humanity's future. vbcrlf
(800 of 15,331 characters)
Do you want to read
the whole article? You can
purchase it here.
Subscriber Login |
|
|
Publication Details
(The World & I Online) |
|
The World & I Online is a
comprehensive academic resource that encompasses a broad range of
articles by scholars and experts in the areas of Global Studies,
Liberal Arts, Fine & Applied Arts, General Science, and Spanish.
Originally published monthly in print as The World & I, our site
includes the complete contents since 1986 and continues to publish
a new issue online each month. |
|
Individual Subscription
|
 |
|
|
|
College Orders (based
on full-time enrollment) |
|
-
2 to 5 Computers |
|
-
Up to 1,000 Students |
|
-
1,001 to 2,500 Students |
|
-
2,501 to 5,000 Students |
|
-
5,001 to 10,000 Students |
|
-
10,001 or More Students |
|
|
|
Public Library Orders |
|
-
2 to 5 Computers |
|
-
6 to 50 Computers |
|
-
51 to 100 Computers |
|
For over 100
computers, call 866-211-6040. |
|
|
