Babies Born on Mars Could Evolve Differently from Earth Humans Within Just a Few Generations!

Mars, the brilliant red planet full of mysteries, has long been an attractive target for human space exploration. With ambitious plans from leading tech entrepreneurs like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, the vision of human settlement on this planet is becoming increasingly realistic. The harsh Martian environment, with its thin atmosphere and extreme temperatures, presents unique challenges for future colonists. However, these challenges haven't deterred the determination of space agencies and private companies from pursuing their Mars colonization goals. As we get closer to making this dream a reality, scientists are studying how the human body might adapt to life on Mars, considering factors like reduced gravity, radiation exposure, and limited resources.

But an interesting and less discussed question is: What will happen to humans when they actually live and have babies on Mars? According to some evolutionary biologists, especially Scott Solomon from Rice University, these changes could occur within just a few generations, creating a completely new branch of humanity.

Mars is considered the most Earth-like planet in our Solar System, but this similarity doesn't hide its harsh differences. The planet's diameter is only about 4,200 miles, much smaller than Earth, and its atmosphere contains up to 95% carbon dioxide. The atmospheric pressure here is just one percent of the pressure at sea level on Earth, making life on the surface nearly impossible without technological support. The average temperature regularly drops to -195°F (-125°C), and space radiation here is many times higher than what humans can tolerate on Earth.

Beyond its harsh environment, Mars has a fascinating geological history. The planet once had massive volcanoes and liquid oceans, along with a thick atmosphere and strong magnetic field that protected its surface from dangerous radiation. However, over time, these features disappeared, leaving behind a barren, cold, and challenging planet.

According to Solomon, when humans begin to settle and live on Mars, evolution will quickly affect them due to the planet's unique living conditions. On Earth, evolution takes thousands to millions of years, but on Mars, biological changes could happen within just a few generations. This rapid change would be due to strong natural selection pressures and a completely different environment.

One of the most noticeable changes might be in bone structure. Mars's gravity is only about one-third of Earth's, which could cause settlers' bones to become denser but also more brittle. The human body would need to adapt to deal with the weaker gravity, creating a new body shape. These adaptations would be necessary for survival in the Martian environment, where the physical demands on the human body would be very different from those on Earth. The reduced gravity could also affect muscle development and the way people move around, leading to significant changes in human physiology over time.

Additionally, the enclosed environment and lack of natural light on Mars could affect human vision. Solomon points out that, similar to fish living in dark caves, humans on Mars might become nearsighted because they won't need to use their vision for long distances.

Human skin would also need to change to adapt to the high radiation levels. On Earth, melanin is the pigment that protects people from ultraviolet rays. However, on Mars, space radiation is much stronger, which might lead to the development of a completely new type of pigment. This could change human skin color in ways never seen before in human history.

The respiratory system of Martian humans would also evolve to process oxygen more efficiently in the planet's thin atmosphere. Features similar to those found in Tibetan people - such as denser capillaries and better metabolism - might appear in the first generation born on Mars. These adaptations would help them survive in extremely low oxygen conditions. The human body would develop these characteristics naturally over time as it adapts to the challenging Martian environment, just as high-altitude populations on Earth have evolved to thrive in low-oxygen conditions.

However, not all changes would be positive. The sterile environment on Mars could weaken or even eliminate the human immune system. As a result, Martian humans would become very vulnerable to bacteria and viruses from Earth, leading to the need for complete isolation between the two populations. This would not only affect cultural exchange but also interrupt the gene flow between Earth humans and Mars humans, potentially leading to the emergence of a new species - Homo martianus.

Space radiation isn't just a challenge - it's also a factor that speeds up genetic mutations. Natural selection would favor mutations that help people survive, and these beneficial changes would spread quickly through the population. Besides natural changes, gene-editing technologies like CRISPR/Cas9 could be used to help humans adapt faster to Mars, creating a completely new generation capable of surviving on the Red Planet.

To ensure genetic sustainability, Solomon suggests that the first colony should have at least 100,000 people with high genetic diversity. He especially recommends including populations with African origins, as they have the richest genetic variety on our planet. This large population size would help maintain genetic health and provide enough diversity for natural selection to work effectively. The combination of natural adaptation and technological intervention would shape the future of human evolution on Mars, potentially creating a new branch of humanity better suited to life on another world.

Although Mars could become our second home, transforming it into an Earth-like planet remains an ambitious project that could take centuries. During this time, humans on Mars would evolve rapidly, gradually drifting away from their Earth-bound counterparts. These differences might lead to a scenario where the two populations can no longer interbreed, marking the end of the biological connection between Earth and Mars.

Ultimately, will we accept this divergence as a step forward in human evolution, or will we try to maintain the connection between the two planets? The answer depends not only on science but also on humanity's ability to adapt to significant future changes.

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Source: genk.vn / 17th Jan 2025 / https://genk.vn/tre-so-sinh-duoc-sinh-ra-tren-sao-hoa-co-the-se-co-khac-biet-voi-nguoi-tren-trai-dat-chi-sau-vai-the-he-20250116111702928.chn