As our population levels rise and we grow more detached from nature, scientists are considering building a reserve on Mars. This article will discuss what it would take for a team of scientists and engineers to create a nature reserve on Mars. It also gets into the ethical concerns of such a project.
Recently, scientists from the ESA – European Space Agency
have released a report to discuss the possibility of building a nature reserve on Mars. As we grow more distant from our natural environment and our population levels rise, concerns have arisen over what it would take to create a nature reserve on Mars. This report discusses potential obstacles to creating such a reserve and outlines possible solutions.
The ESA report begins by outlining the limitations that early explorers of Mars had to face towards the 21st century. The report notes that, due to the limited technical capability of the early space pioneers, they were limited to areas they could reach in a relatively short period. A nature reserve on Mars would have a similar limitation, as it would be an area one could get within 1-2 years. Thus, it would be tough to build such a reserve on Mars.
Reasons for Building on Mars
One of the biggest reasons for creating a nature reserve on Mars is that we are losing our connection with nature and becoming more distant from it. More than half of the world’s population lives in cities, and more than two-thirds of humanity lives in urban areas. (1) More people are moving to big metropolitan cities, so their connection with country life is weakening. It is directly related to why we should build a nature reserve on Mars. The fact that more and more people prefer living in cities isn’t necessarily bad; however, it also means we are losing our connection with nature as a whole. We no longer live in harmony with nature, so we don’t feel the need to preserve it.
If we keep losing our connection with nature, we will eventually lose our sense of responsibility for it. The natural process we have been a part of for millennia will not sustain itself without human interaction. We need to start thinking on a more extended scale and consider sustainability if we want to save the planet.
Importance of Living in Harmony With Nature
We only sometimes think about how important having a connection with nature is until something extreme happens. A prominent example of this is Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Countries worldwide donated millions in relief aid, but within a few months, many had already forgotten about it due to international news and trends. Although we are not entirely dependent on nature for survival, we are still closely reliant on it. When Mother Nature is upset, it can have a devastating effect. The 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan was an obvious example of this. A natural disaster wipes out our connection with nature, which is only one step away from losing our relationship with the planet.
If We Lose Our Connection With Nature
When you lose your connection with nature, you also lose your ability to see the bigger picture and have enough empathy for everything around you. When the natural world suffers, so does humanity. It was proven by a study done by Yale University in 2010. The study found that giving people an emotionless lecture about deforestation and extinction had little impact on their environmental behaviour. However, when people were shown pictures of endangered animals and asked to imagine themselves in their place, they were far more likely to act responsibly. Our connection with nature is deeply ingrained in us, so seeing animals and plants in their natural habitats makes us more likely to work with compassion.
Where Does Nature Reserve On Mars Fit In
The small fact that the earth is not as self-contained as we think it is isn’t enough to get people to lead environmentally friendly lifestyles. Nature reserve on Mars would be a big step towards transitioning into a sustainable way of life. A nature reserve on Mars would force humanity out of its comfort zone and reawaken our strained relationship with all of nature. As we build up technology and decide where to use it, we should keep the planet’s current state in mind.
