Terraforming Mars

[Stargazer]

The main reasons to terraform Mars would probably be aestethical and to make it possible to live there without the space suit. We could live there without doing so, since we could just build closed habitat modules to live in, but I think I would like to see a terraforming. Still, the gravity will be the same of course, and they will recieve less sunlight etc., so there are still things to adapt to. But then again I wonder how big rolethe evolution will have, if we have technology to survive anyway...

[BlameTheEx]

Stargazer.

The role of evolution will be small, because people would have to change far too fast for nature to suffice. Candidates for colonisation will certainly be selected, but not by nature.

I can imagine selection, evolution, or genetic modification, but not towards living unprotected in an unchanged Mars.

Only a small population could be transported, and they will have to manufacture and maintain everything they need. The average level of knowledge, skills, and productivity would have to exceptional. Their children must learn fast from teachers who have little time to teach, or write manuals. The adaptation of colonists will be mainly towards improving their heads, not their bodies.

[Freethinker]

I would think that we would see some specific a nd quatifyable diference between Mars humans and Earth humans in a few generations. That is in terms of averages, not "apendages". As suggested, those that would be sent to colonize Mars would be "Naturally" selected based on elements important to the effort. Mass would be an issue, so most likely "larger" (hight, weight, ...) would be less desirable as would be "smaller". This would remove these elements from the gene pool sent to Mars. And the same would be true with intellect and other parameters.

Thus the genetic pool sent to Mars would be highly selective and as such the offsprings would have a smaller gene pool to draw from. Further there would probably be the intentional effort in selecting candidates for colonization, to remove specific and identifyable genetic based disease. Such as genetic predisposition to heart conditions or sickle cell. Thus also removing these genetics from the pool on Mars humans.

Add to this MORE natural selection issues that would only become apperant based on actual survival conditions on Mars once colonization has begun. Maybe some advantages to certain genetics in reduced gravity that have no metric on Earth.

It would be very interesting to monitor genetic drift after a few generations.

[Stargazer]

Changes would occur, I think, but the question is how much? The environment wouldn't be crucial for natural selection, since they would protect themselves. Possibly would the radiation levels be higher, which probably would cause more mutations, right? It's hard to say, but I agree - it would be very interesting to see how they would change after a few generations.