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Future humans living on Mars would undergo drastic physical changes and could even develop into a new subspecies, an expert has told The Sun.
Kyle Zagrodzky, founder of OsteoStrong, a company focused on bone health, explained that the harsh Martian environment could push humans to evolve into horrible versions of their “Earth cousins.”
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Zagrodsky said that at first, astronauts traveling to Mars would feel very good because the lower gravity would reduce the strain on their bones and joints.
“The newcomers will have a huge physical advantage in the short term,” he said, then added seriously: “Until their bones and muscles are conditioned.”
Living for long periods of time in Martian gravity (about 38% of Earth’s gravity) is expected to have significant effects on the human body.
Optimistic estimate 2020 Stanford Research It was found that astronauts who went on a three-year mission to Mars and returned would lose a third of their bone density.
About half of them may develop osteoporosis.
“For new adult visitors, spinal elongation may be the first noticeable change,” Zagrodzky continued.
“Other than changes in fat distribution, which would likely get weirder over time, we probably wouldn’t see noticeable outward body changes in adults visiting Mars for a short period of time.”
How long will it take to reach Mars?
This is not a short journey…
- The huge distance between Earth and Mars means any journey to the Red Planet would take a long time.
- The situation is further complicated by the fact that the distance between the two planets changes as they orbit the sun.
- The closest distance between Earth and Mars is 33.9 million miles, which is 9,800 times the distance between London and New York.
- But this is indeed rare: a more useful distance is the average, which is 140 million miles.
- Scientists on Earth have already sent a large number of spacecraft to Mars (or nearby), so we have a rough idea of how long it will take with current technology.
- Historically, the trip has taken between 128 and 333 days — a long time for humans in a cramped spacecraft.
- Actual travel time for a manned mission is about two to three years.
The grand plans to colonize Mars puzzle people like Zagroski, who are very unsure how humans will “survive” in the harsh environment.
But if Elon Musk’s vision for the future has its way, humans could be living on Mars indefinitely in the near future.
The eccentric billionaire and mastermind behind SpaceX wants to send humans to Mars in less than a decade and build a city there within 20.
“A new generation of people born on Mars might look very different from their cousins on Earth,” Zagroski noted.
Asked about what the new generation of humans will look like, Zagroski said: “Changes in fat distribution, making the face look puffier, is probably the first change we’ll see.
“The new generations that grow up from birth will look very different, especially after puberty.”
Without the influence of the Earth’s gravity, I expect humans to be weak in every way: bone, muscle, and cardiovascular development would be greatly hindered.
Kyle Zagrodzky, founder of OsteoStrong
People born on Mars not only have rounder faces, but also longer spines and limbs.
They may also have a chronically pale complexion due to abnormal cardiovascular development.
“On Earth, major adaptations occur during early growth and adolescence,” Zagroski explains.
“Without the influence of Earth’s gravity, I expect humans to be weakened in every way: bone, muscle and cardiovascular development would be greatly stunted.”
Martians would be far weaker than their Earth cousins, and would also have to deal with the consequences of cosmic radiation and disrupted blood sugar levels.
Weak and underdeveloped muscles may have fewer insulin receptors, and I can imagine that type 2 diabetes will be one of the many serious problems that Martians will face.
“Muscles are not just for strength,” Zagroski said.
“They also contain insulin receptors which are crucial for regulating blood sugar levels.
“Weak and underdeveloped muscles would likely have fewer insulin receptors, and I can imagine that type 2 diabetes would be one of the many serious problems that Martians would face.”
How Mars will change humanity in 5, 10, and 50 years
Here is Zagrodzky’s analysis of how humans might evolve on Mars over the next five, ten, and fifty years:
5 years
- Muscle and Bone Loss: Even with exercise, muscles and bones weaken due to reduced pressure. Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) experience similar effects in microgravity. On Mars, this may not be as severe as in space, but there will still be significant muscle atrophy and loss of bone density.
- Cardiovascular system: The heart may become weaker because it doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood in low gravity. Blood may circulate less efficiently, and blood volume and distribution may change.
- Balance and coordination: As the inner ear, which helps maintain balance, adjusts to lower gravity, a person’s sense of balance and coordination may change.
10 years
- Adaptations of the musculoskeletal system: Over time, the human body may partially adapt, with muscles and bones stabilizing at a new, lower mass and density level. However, returning to Earth would likely present significant challenges, as the body would have difficulty coping with the planet’s stronger gravity.
- Body shape changes: With prolonged exposure, the body may undergo structural changes, such as a lengthening of the spine or changes in the way fat is distributed because gravity affects posture and body mechanics differently.
- Psychological effects: The constant awareness of a lighter body and different movement dynamics could alter spatial awareness. Isolation and confinement on Mars could also have psychological effects, which could affect mental health and behavior.
50 years
- Genetic and epigenetic changes: Over several generations, humans born on Mars might evolve adaptations to the low-gravity environment. Genetic mutations or epigenetic changes might occur. This could result in changes in human physical traits, such as longer limbs or less bone density.
- New human variants may emerge: If humans lived on Mars for many generations, it is possible that a unique “Martian” variant of humans would emerge, adapted to Martian conditions. These changes would likely make them difficult to visit or live on Earth.
- Long-term health problems: Long-term exposure to low gravity can cause long-term health problems, including a weakened cardiovascular system, potential changes in the immune system, and an increased susceptibility to certain diseases due to weakened muscles and bones.
In March, Vladimir Usov, former chairman of the Nationalist Party of Ukraine space Institutions turned cosmic entrepreneurs, told The Sun We need genetically modified astronauts to colonize Mars.
He agrees that it is our biology that prevents us from colonizing other planets.
While Musk and his team of billionaires build transports, Usov thinks private industry and scientists should invest more in adapting human biology for space.
If we don’t, he says, long-term space travel will be virtually impossible.
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“Unique Martian variant”
If humans lived on Mars for many generations, “a unique ‘Martian’ human variant” could emerge.
But the sci-fi vision of a future where Earthlings and Martians travel across the planet for vacation will be hard to realize.
These poor guys can easily break bones.
If our Martian cousins came to Earth, it would be difficult to adapt and they might even need strength training to move around.
Zagrodzky added: “Without long-term physical preparation, it would be much more difficult.
“Weak cardiovascular systems, bones and muscles can make the simplest tasks very challenging.
“Imagine your body and everything you’re picking up weighs 2.5 times more than it should. These poor guys could easily break bones.”
Terraforming Mars – What does it mean and how does it work?
Here’s what you need to know…
- Terraforming Mars is a hypothetical process – meaning it has not yet been tested as a theory
- The idea is that we can change the surface and climate of Mars
- The end result would make much of Mars habitable for humans.
- This will make it easier to colonize the Red Planet
- Scientists believe importing greenhouse gases is possible
- This will help Mars retain carbon dioxide, creating a greenhouse effect
- Some experts believe Mars is on the outer edge of the habitable zone
- This is the region in our solar system that could support liquid water on a planet’s surface
- Mars is thought to have once had an atmosphere as thick as Earth’s and even abundant liquid on the surface.
- This makes Mars an excellent candidate for terraforming, at least relative to other planets in our solar system.
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