Mars might turn humans into 'green' little beings, as per a biologist

Scientists are planning to build a human colony on Mars with huge spacecraft, life-sustaining methods, and more as part of the mission. Elon Musk hopes to send people to the red planet aboard the Starship, SpaceX's mega venture that has conducted six tests till now and is planning on having more.

But can humans really survive on Mars? Can all the technology in the world protect them from the intense radiation and the harsh environment? Housing and appropriate breathing spaces are going to be a challenge when humans actually land on Mars. Musk wants to do it soon, while NASA doesn't think that can happen before the end of the next decade.

But the problems don't end there. Scientists are worried that living on Mars can alter the human body in unimaginable ways.

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Dr. Scott Solomon, a biologist, believes that the human body will undergo evolutionary changes if people start living on Mars. In his 2016 book, Future Humans: Inside the Science of Our Continuing Evolution, he describes what future humans who descend from those who settled on the red planet might look like. His picture appears to be similar to what we have long thought aliens to look like - green and frail.

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Problem with living on Mars

This is because Mars is smaller than Earth, and it has 38 per cent less gravity. There is no magnetic field and no ozone layer. In such a scenario, cosmic rays and space radiation constantly bombard it. Solomon says humans would be forced to adapt to these conditions and might acquire a new colour. "Perhaps in the face of this high radiation, we might evolve some new type of skin pigment to help us deal with that radiation...Maybe we get our own green men," he says.

He says such humans can develop green skin because of mutations and have weak vision, brittle bones, and reduced muscle strength.

The biologist believes that humans will become nearsighted because they will be living in small enclaves. A lower level of gravity would weaken the muscles and the bones. NASA knows about the effect space can have on the human body, and has been trying to tackle the problem in order to send people to the Moon and Mars. Travelling or living in space for a long time can lead astronauts to develop osteoporosis.

However, the problem is still a distant issue since experts don't think that the initial humans would be able to survive long enough on Mars to have children. This includes Musk, who has already said that there is a "good chance you’ll die".