Just 22 Martians? Not So Fast, Says Science

A Rocket-Ship Intro

Hey, have you ever wondered what it would be like to live on Mars Planet? Well, guess what? Scientists are busy figuring that out too! Some smarty-pants people just said, “All we need is 22 folks to start a whole new life on Mars.” But other experts are shaking their heads and saying, “Nope, you’re gonna need more teammates for this space game!”

A Trip Down Mars Memory Lane

So, once upon a time (well, actually, this August), some researchers used a special computer program to guess how many humans could make a cozy little home on Mars Planet. They looked at different kinds of people—like those who love to make friends and those who get a little grumpy sometimes—to see who would be the best “Martian pioneers.”

All About Personalities: The Red Planet Edition

Here’s the funny part. According to this study, if most people are friendly (like the folks who always share their toys) or super social (like the kids who love to play tag), then you only need 22 people to have a big Martian party! But if there are more grumpy cats and stick-in-the-muds, well, then you’ll need a bigger crowd.

Hold Your Horses, Or Should We Say, Rockets?

But ah-ha! There’s a catch. These scientists were, let’s say, “cheating” a bit. They pretended that all the big stuff, like Martian houses and space cars, was already built. And that these 22 people would have enough power and snacks sent from Earth for seven years. So, other experts are saying, “Not so fast, space cowboys!”

The Other Side of the Moon, Err… Mars

A wise space researcher named Jean-Marc Salotti thinks you’d need at least 110 people to make Mars Planet a real home. That’s like filling up your entire school and then some! He says that 22 people could live on Mars for a bit, like a sleepover, but it’s not enough to stay forever. Plus, if all these people are from the same family, their future Martian babies might have some health issues. Yikes!

The Grand Space Conclusion

So what did we learn? That living on Mars isn’t as easy as packing your bags and hopping on a spaceship. It’s more like building the world’s most complicated LEGO set while floating in space. Oh, and you’ll need a LOT more friends to join you on this red-rock adventure!

Do-It-Yourself Activities for Young Martians

Activity 1: Build Your Own Martian Colony

Learning Outcome: Understand what it takes to build a colony.

1. Step 1: Take a big sheet of paper and draw a Martian landscape.
2. Step 2: Cut out small paper shapes to represent houses, farms, and other buildings.
3. Step 3: Stick them on your Martian landscape.
4. Step 4: Count how many people you think you’d need in your colony and why.

Activity 2: Space Snacks

Learning Outcome: Understand the importance of resources in space.

1. Step 1: Gather some snacks in the house.
2. Step 2: Imagine these are all the snacks you have for a week on Mars.
3. Step 3: Divide the snacks for each day, and discuss why it’s important to plan your resources.

And there you have it, young Martians! You’re now one step closer to becoming a real space explorer. Keep dreaming, and maybe one day, you’ll be part of that big space adventure!