If we want to colonize Mars, viruses may be a key to our survival

Humans are looking towards other planets to colonize, and we have our sights set on Mars. But to survive, we may need viruses.

Published
Updated
1 minute & 15 seconds read time

Most people are sick of hearing about viruses after the events of 2020 and the current events of 2021. But, viruses may play a pivotal role in humans colonizing new planets.

If we want to colonize Mars, viruses may be a key to our survival 01

NASA and other private companies are striving towards making the human race a two-planet species, with the end goal being to colonize Mars. That goal is not easily achieved as Mars is a baron wasteland that has an extremely harsh atmosphere, making it very difficult for humans to grow food, store water, and produce breathable oxygen.

Another factor that NASA and other private companies may not have considered is viruses' role in the web of life. According to Professor Paul Davies from Arizona State University's Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science, "Viruses actually form part of the web of life. I would expect that if you've got microbial life on another planet, you're bound to have - if it's going to be sustainable and sustained - the full complexity and robustness that will go with being able to exchange genetic information."

Davies and other scientists suggest that viruses are a big component of human evolution and have played a massive role in how we have evolved into the humans we are today. When humans overcome the colonization problems Mars poses, we could see the species divided into two - Earth humans and Mars humans. The latter wouldn't be exposed to any Earth viruses, which could cause a split in humans' evolutionary timeline.

For more information on this story, check out this link here.

Photo of the product for sale

LEGO Ideas International Space Station 21321 Building Kit

TodayYesterday7 days ago30 days ago
$167.99$145.39$144.99
* Prices last scanned on 10/10/2024 at 4:13 pm CDT - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission from any sales.
NEWS SOURCE:thenextweb.com

Jak joined the TweakTown team in 2017 and has since reviewed 100s of new tech products and kept us informed daily on the latest science, space, and artificial intelligence news. Jak's love for science, space, and technology, and, more specifically, PC gaming, began at 10 years old. It was the day his dad showed him how to play Age of Empires on an old Compaq PC. Ever since that day, Jak fell in love with games and the progression of the technology industry in all its forms.

Newsletter Subscription

Join the daily TweakTown Newsletter for a special insider look into new content and what is happening behind the scenes.

Related Tags

Newsletter Subscription