'Green skin, brittle bones': Donald Trump wants to put humans on Mars but there is a problem
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Credit: NASA
Stellar ambition
During his speech, Donald Trump promised to plant the U.S. flag on Mars that left audiences buzzing, and Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder, beaming.
NASA’s shift
NASA’s Artemis program, initially moon-focused, could pivot under Trump’s influence, with Mars missions using SpaceX’s Starship gaining priority within this decade.
Biological evolution
However, Dr. Scott Solomon, a biologist at Rice University, sees drastic mutations in humans born on Mars, potentially leading to green skin, weaker eyesight, and brittle bones due to radiation and reduced gravity.
Credit: Rice University
Gravitational challenge
Mars’ 30% lower gravity poses long-term threats to human physiology, including weaker muscles and fragile bones, forcing settlers into evolutionary adaptations to survive.
Cosmic danger
Without a magnetic field or ozone layer, Mars leaves settlers vulnerable to radiation, UV exposure, and cosmic rays, raising questions about human resilience in hostile environments.
Green skin
Dr. Solomon hypothesized in Future Humans that settlers may develop green pigmentation to combat Mars’ high radiation, evolving into the "green men" often depicted in science fiction.
Childbirth risks
With brittle bones becoming a norm on Mars, women may face life-threatening challenges during childbirth, including potential pelvic fractures.
Blurred vision
Living in enclosed colonies could lead to diminishing eyesight among Martian settlers, with less need for sharp vision in confined, artificial habitats.
Musk’s dream
Elon Musk’s vision of human colonies on Mars aligns with NASA’s evolving mission goals, though experts warn of extreme survival hurdles awaiting pioneers on the Red Planet.
Manifest Mars
Trump’s pledge to make Mars exploration a national priority reignited debates on the feasibility of colonization, with Musk positioned as the visionary to turn rhetoric into reality.