Mexican Volcano Is Test Bed for Trees on Mars
by Trey Granger
Published on July 19th, 2007
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The Environmental News Network reports that tree life on Mexico’s tallest mountain will be tested as part of a pilot program to see if life can exist on Mars. Even though Mars is called the “Red Planet,” the temperatures are beyond freezing so scientists want to test whether plant life could survive if temperatures were raised.
“By pumping in highly insulating gases like methane or nitrous oxide, the scientists think they could heat Mars to 41 degrees Fahrenheit from minus 67 F now. That would match temperatures where trees grow at 13,780 feet on Pico de Orizaba.”
The goal is a first mission to Mars within 15 years, with a warming of the Mars atmosphere starting 50 years after that. The article doesn’t mention any of the ramifications of pumping foreign gases into the Mars environment, but it’s fascinating to see that the first step toward inhabiting other planets would be using the same methods of climate change that are called into question on Earth today.
Let’s all hope the forecast is at least 41 degrees and sunny if that’s going to be a high temperature.
