| "Mars is interesting because it can be colonized." That's the provocative
lead sentence of an article appearing in Space News, July 8-14, 1996,
by Gary A. Allen Jr., an engineer at NASA Ames Research Center. Allen
argues against focusing Mars exploration on the scientific search
for evidence of past life, which he (rather dismissively) calls "exopaleontology."
Instead he proposes colonizing Mars with human explorers on the fastest
track possible as the best strategy, and references his own paper
in the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, JBIpS, arguing
for a one-way mission to Mars delivering 940 colonists at a cost "comparable
to simply exploring the planet." ("One-way"--you can see why we call
this provocative! However, JBIpS was where Arthur C. Clarke first
proposed Earth-orbiting satellites: it serves as a sounding board
for ideas that at first seem improbable, some of which end up as mundane
[sic] fact within 50 years.)
On a related topic, other scientists, respected NASA Ames exobiologist
Chris McKay among them, discuss ways to terraform Mars, unlocking
the oxygen and water now trapped in its frozen crust by seeding
the poles with hardy microscopic plants, darkening the surface,
heating up the entire planet as a consequence, and so recapturing
the thicker atmosphere and warmer, wetter conditions which most
scientists accept were once present on Mars. (This is the theme
of Kim Stanley Robinson's three award-winning science fiction novels,
Red Mars, Blue Mars, Green Mars.) Some researchers even argue that
if there are still Martian life-forms, microscopic and trapped in
the permafrost, they can be "captured" and put in cold storage,
just as smallpox germs once were here on Earth. In short, build
a protected zoo for microbes, and make Mars fit for humans. To others,
this does not seem environmentally correct treatment of any legitimate,
current inhabitants of Mars.
Copies of article: Allen Jr., Gary A. "Options for Exploring
Mars" in Space News, July 8-14, 1996, p 13.
Have students read (or read aloud with them) Allen's article.
Allow time for students to share their initial reactions to the
ideas in this article.
Ask students to consider our current reactions to how European
invaders treated the Native American peoples. Encourage students
to review their Mars Mission Logbooks and the work they and their
peers have done over the course of the entire project. Have them
research the issues (encourage use of on-line as well as print
resources), then group them in teams with similar perspectives,
and marshal arguments to prepare them to debate, or discuss, or
otherwise report on the issues involved in one or other of the
two distinct but related propositions: "Humans should Colonize
Mars rather than sending Robot Missions to Explore it for Ancient
Life," and/or: "Humans should Terraform Mars, whether there are
extant Martian Life-forms, or Not."
If you lack on-line access, stage a debate in class, as a formal
debate, or in the format of TV talk show. Or, prepare a class newsletter
summarizing the various printed reports. Or contact local scientists,
share your students' work with them, and ask them to come in to
class to respond. Prepare students to receive and interact with
On-line LFM will provide (moderated) opportunities for students
to share their arguments and interact, both by asynchronous postings
(e-mail, via the debate mail-list) and live WebChats to be joined
by Mars experts. Depending on the level of interest, technologies
and connectivity possessed by participating classes, LFM may facilitate
CU-SeeMe or other forums to exchange comments between classes. Check
the LFM Site in late Spring 1997 and onwards for the latest!
As in all other Closing Activities, please record and share the
most interesting student work with PTK by mail or on-line.
As should be apparent, PTK and LFM do not consider Activity B.3
to be about "right answers" to the propositions, but more about
appropriate questions and interesting arguments deploying information
acquired during the project in thoughtful, convincing ways.