If we focus on mythology we discover that, in Ancient Rome, the god of war was called Mars, a deity who, in Ancient Greece, was known as Ares (Greek name for Mars).
Mars is the name in Spanish of a planet that is characterized by being desert, small in size, with a rocky structure and cold conditions. This territory, which is popularly called the red planet due to the particular color of its soil due to the rusty iron found in it, generates great fascination among ordinary people from all over the world and arouses deep interest within the scientific community.
Being able to determine and know with certainty whether at some point in history there was life on Mars, as well as finding out if any living being can (or will be able to survive there in the distant future) are issues that constantly drive research and excite hundreds of people with the possibility of conquering, in a not so distant time, the Martian surface by being part of a manned space flight to Mars .
Particularities of Mars
Knowing the particularities of Mars from a distance is as difficult as it is exciting because the common population depends on the reports and conclusions arising from explorations and missions led by the US agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) .
Experts indicate that the density of the atmosphere of Mars is low, that there are volcanic areas (where the shield volcano Olympus Mons stands, for example) and an immense system of canyons (or canyons) identified as Valles Marineris , and that the Martian year practically doubles a year on Earth , since each day lasts approximately 24.6 hours and a year there corresponds to 687 days on our planet .
Another fact that draws attention: dust storms on Mars tend to be detected relatively frequently (and last for a week or more). And in relation to the existence of water on Mars : it is understood that, in the vapor state, there is a tiny percentage of this liquid present in the atmosphere , while certain research maintains that there is ice in the substrate. Sometimes, a little water is present in a liquid state, although it does not last long or spread over large areas.
Taking the sun as a starting point, to add more precision, it is possible to locate the Martian territory in location number four, being in the middle of the Earth and Jupiter . It is also worth noting that there are a couple of small natural satellites, moons that have been named Deimos and Phobos .
The Curiosity rover is one of the robotic vehicles that NASA sent to Mars to collect data, for example, on radiation and rocks present on the red planet.
The red planet in art and popular culture
The red planet has a great presence in art and popular culture . Whether from the level of imagination as well as from an educational perspective, for many decades content linked, in one way or another, to Mars has been offered, a territory that has served as inspiration for hundreds of writers, screenwriters and filmmakers and It still remains the muse of numerous creatives. Science fiction , the documentary format and the fantasy genre, on more than one occasion, have provided materials referring to Mars and/or its hypothetical inhabitants.
It is worth, in this context, to cite "The Martian Chronicles" as a reading option, one of the most transcendent works of the American writer Ray Bradbury . Thanks to the pen of Andy Weir , meanwhile, there is also artistic entertainment on this same theme through The Martian (film and book) . Mars ( National Geographic series) and Doctor Who (episodes on Mars ) are other recommended productions to feed the passion and curiosity for the object of the solar system to which we are constantly alluding in this article.
The film Total Recall (Total Challenge) promoted in Latin America with the title The Avenger of the Future , the feature film and novel War of the Worlds and Marvin the Martian (Looney Tunes character) do not deserve to be left out either. from the list of options that give prominence to Mars in fiction .
Mars, the fourth planet from the sun, is located between Earth and Jupiter.
Humans on Mars
It is increasingly common to imagine and even plan manned space flights to see human beings on Mars .
Although up to now there are not enough resources to make this ambitious project a reality and technological advances are not enough to complete the journey, guaranteeing the safety and survival of those who dare to travel to the aforementioned planet, the famous magnate and businessman Elon Musk It has been publicly declaring its intention to conquer the Martian surface in the medium term for some time.
The CEO of the Tesla company , in addition to having taken charge of the management of the social network Twitter that he renamed using the letter .
Elon 's idea is to reach the year 2050 having transported nearly a million individuals to Mars , a challenge that in the words of a scientist who is part of NASA will be a "suicide mission" since many people could die on the way. or, if they survive, be left with very serious consequences from the radiation on Mars . Starship (SpaceX) is the system that his company developed with the intention of taking people to the moon and various planets, including Mars . It is vital to note that, in the testing phase, the Starship rocket managed to take off but ended up exploding in the air.
Undoubtedly the attempts will continue because until now the plan to land with humans on the red planet remains firm, but the mystery revolves around who (and how many), really, are willing to invest a fortune in living a highly risky experience that could leave them forever immortalized in History if they participate in the colonization of Mars and, simultaneously, lead them to practically certain death.