Infertile Field of Mars? Colonization plans marred by …

Published time: October 25, 2014 13:31

A possible look of the future Mars One mission settlement (Image by mars-one.com)

The Mars One mission - to bring humans to the Red Planet - is underway, with nearly 80,000 applicants for a possible one-way trip. But will they go forth and multiply? Low gravity and cosmic rays lie in the path of the ambitious plan.

Mars is considered to be the most hospitable planet in the solar system, after Earth. The dreams of the Martian Chronicles author, Ray Bradbury, or Mr. Nobody director Jaco Van Dormael, could be turned into reality with the colonization project.

The mission is aimed at sending first four Mars inhabitants in 2024, and their journey will become a Dutch reality TV program. One of the things the first settlers will not be allowed to do, however, is to have children.

The reason is that The human ability to conceive in reduced gravity is not known, neither is there enough research on whether a fetus can grow normally under these circumstances, the mission states.

Still, Mars One acknowledges that to lead true life on Mars, having children is vital, so Adams and Eves could still descend on Mars. But whats in store for them?

The planets gravity is just 38 percent of Earths, the atmosphere is so thin it resembles a laboratory vacuum, and is terribly cold. Typical nighttime temperatures close to the equator are -70 C.

Scientists have been examining the issue of reproduction in space for decades in conditions of reduced gravity and limited space.

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Infertile Field of Mars? Colonization plans marred by ...