The possibility of humans evolving into a new species on Mars is plausible, but it cannot be definitively confirmed.
Since the dawn of human civilization, we have gazed at the stars, wondering if other intelligent civilizations exist on a distant planet in the vast expanse of space.
At the same time, with the advancement of modern human civilization, there has been a growing desire to migrate to the stars and settle on other planets. Mars is currently considered the most promising candidate.
Regarding space migration, humans have not only dreamed but also begun to take action. For instance, NASA has long planned for a manned landing on Mars. Once a successful landing is achieved, it will mark humanity’s first step toward Mars migration, laying the foundation for larger future plans.
However, a manned landing on Mars is an enormous project, far more complex and dangerous than a manned lunar landing.
A one-way trip from Earth to Mars takes at least six months, and every 26 months, there is an optimal window for travel when Earth and Mars are closest—about 55 million km apart, compared to a maximum distance of 400 million km.
As a result, astronauts must stay on Mars for 26 months, waiting for the next launch window to return to Earth. The entire manned Mars landing project would take approximately three years!
Therefore, sending humans to Mars is extremely challenging, requiring sufficient food supplies and safety measures for astronauts over three years. If all goes well, the next step would be to consider terraforming Mars and establishing settlements to create a self-sustaining Martian colony.
To terraform Mars, the first step is to warm the planet. Mars has an average temperature of -55°C, an environment that makes long-term human settlement difficult. In theory, warming Mars is not difficult—humans are adept at warming planets, as we have been warming Earth for over a century.
Building factories on Mars would continuously release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, creating a sufficient greenhouse effect. The “carbon dioxide” we dislike on Earth would become a valuable gas on Mars.
As Mars warms, humans could engage in short-term outdoor activities, but they would still need oxygen masks due to the low oxygen content in Mars’ atmosphere. How can we increase oxygen levels in Mars’ atmosphere? Algae, moss, and similar organisms from Earth could be useful, as they reproduce quickly and release large amounts of oxygen.
Nevertheless, the terraforming process for Mars would be extremely slow, potentially taking hundreds or even thousands of years to complete. But what if humans evolve to better adapt to Mars’ environment?
In fact, this is entirely possible. Mars has a vastly different environment from Earth, with lower gravity, a thinner atmosphere, colder temperatures, and higher radiation. These changes could create natural selection pressures, favoring individuals with genetic traits that enhance survival and reproduction, passing those genes to future generations.
If the human population on Mars is isolated from Earth for an extended period, there would be less genetic mixing. This could lead to genetic divergence, with new mutations and adaptive traits spreading rapidly within the population.
The higher radiation levels on Mars could accelerate genetic mutations, resulting in more new genetic variations. Some of these mutations might provide advantages in the new environment, further driving evolution.
Perhaps we could even accelerate human evolution through genetic engineering. Natural evolution is a slow process, but through genetic modification, humans could enhance their genes to adapt more quickly. For example, modifying human skin genes to better resist cosmic radiation and tolerate low air pressure could eliminate the need for oxygen tanks, allowing humans to derive energy and oxygen directly through their skin.
At that point, Martian settlers could differ entirely from traditional humans, evolving into a completely new type of human: Martians. Due to their radically different environment, Martians might develop entirely new languages, economies, and ethical frameworks compared to Earth-dwellers.
