Mars: ancient water, ancient life?

Question

There is no real evidence of an ancient Martian civilization, but after rewatching a "Cosmos" episode in which Carl Sagan left the possibility open that there may be evidence of agricultural plains on the Mars surface dating back a billion or more years ago, I'm intrigued by the thought that the red planet could have at one time been an Earthlike world, with some form of intelligent life.

I'm asking two questions (please answer both or either):

a/ Sci-fi fantasies and wild speculations aside, how likely do you personally think it is that Mars at one time had flowing water and some type of intelligent life?

b/ According to Sagan, Earthlings may one day "terraform" Mars into a habitable place for human beings, which, he said, could take a thousand years or more. However unlikely it is, would you allow it's possible that the Earth underwent the same type of induced terraforming process millions of years ago?

Answer 1

A/ According to studies done on mars, experts have found out that mars used to have vast oceans of liquid H20 (Water) and also rivers. Not only that but about 85% of the planet was covered in water.
This lead to only one thing, mars used to orbit the sun at a much closer range, but due to a change in its orbit, mars propably flew away from the sun and the oceans froze at its North and South pole caps.

But where did all the other water go? For crying out loud the planet was nearly drowned in it. So scientists think that the water found a way under the surface of mars and by any luck, it's still liquid. Now immagine when mars was nearer to the sun, Small bacteria-like lifeforms started to form, they might still be some left under the surface.

But unfortunately there can't be any 'intelligent' lifeforms living on it, because since all the planets in our solar system where made at nearly the same time, mars could not have developed alot of life on it before going further away from the sun, and even so, Its hard to get intelligent under the surface of a cold planet.

But lets let our immagination run free... Mars is as old as earth, so MAYBE primitive lifeforms did evolve under its surface? and have learned to dwell there?

B/ I belive that if earth was going to explode and we could teleport ourselves to one planet to survive, a wise choice would be mars. Mars is very earth-like and isnt as cold as the outer planets, nor as hot as mercury and venus. But the air on mars is toxic for us humans and living there would be difficult, especially right now. I believe that in the far future, they would build a small spacestation set up on mars and it can act as a hotel for the rich to go for a holiday there, but thats all.

ABOUT THE ATMOSPHERE:
The atmosphere of Mars is relatively thin; the atmospheric pressure on the surface is only 0.7–0.9 kPa, compared to Earth's 101.3 kPa. The scale height of the atmosphere is about 11 km, somewhat higher than Earth's 6 km.

MARS's Atmosphere
The atmosphere on Mars consists of 95% carbon dioxide, 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, and contains traces of oxygen and water.

EARTH's Atmosphere
It is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, with trace amounts of other gaseous molecules such as water vapor.

People should remember that we are living on a big beautiful planet, that provides us with what we need to survive, its our home. But unfortunately people are showing more interest in learning about the universe then about our own planet. We know more about the surface of venus than we know about the bottom of the ocean on earth. We are continually destryong the earth due to greed and nothing is being done about it.

So before planning to do anything with other planets, we should fix out world. Before it fixes us.

Answer 2

With regard to life on Mars (not the Bowie song) I would be loathed to say that there was intelligent life there without evidence of at least microbes existing there these days. Life is fantastically adaptable and I douby even an almost completely frozen world would ever truely become lifeless if life had once thrived there - here on earth there are several eco-systems which survive without sunlight and some lichens can grow at sub-zero temparatures.

As regardingthe terraforming of ancient earth I do not think this happened as most of the essential elements of life such as water would have come about without intervention. I do think that evolution was conciously guided by an external influence but I do not think the planet was conciously altered after its formation in any manner.

Answer 3

This is great material for sci-fi, however beside evidence of water on mars, all else is speculation. It is likely that primative life did exist on mars, but without the proper elements(atmosphere and such) they did not survive. However on earth we know just the opposite happened. The idea that Humans were seeded on earth and that earth was "terraformed" is intriguing, however evidence to this is lacking and immaterial at this point. I believe that the one intelligence, Universal Mind, Alpha and Omega, created this world (earth) through evolution. I also believe in the rubber band theory which states that as the universe expands it will contract and repeat this process forever. Are you enjoying your ride? I am!!!

Answer 4

Do not know what to believe anymore? Why not considered this a fable Tale somewhat like Jesus Christ stories etc. Mars and other planets were once like Earth before it was destroyed by GREED. Human and animal genes are spliced. Our waters is not safe. N. Armstrong did not land on the Moon with the Amer. Flag. We have Congress run by fossils and we still need a front man the Pres.
I got all this brain washed from the Media... We will never know until its too late, like what happen to SOUTH ASIA.

Answer 5

I like this idea! I always claimed to be from mars, years before finding out that my birth chart has a sun, moon, mercury, mars, and venus in mars.

I think we have already bounced back and forth several times. Wars could've destroyed most traces of our last martian colonization, and the same thing could happen to earth when we leave.
To take this theory even further, we may someday have dealings with all the planets, in conjunction with their supposed natures. Eccentric hermits go to uranus, suicidal lovers shoot themselves into venus, and the moon becomes a huge maternity ward.

Answer 6

Hey, great question! I just got done reading Mars by Ben Bova, you should check it out if you haven't already read it. I think that there was definitely water and life on Mars but not necessarily intelligent life.
Is it possible that Earth underwent terraforming? Sure it's possible just not very likely.

Answer 7

Sagan is my hero..

I think we will find evidence of past life on Mars, but not the intelligent kind, just basic stuff.

Answer 8

Yes, I think it's indeed possible that mars had living life, but that's really unlikely. (About 3% chance in my opinion)

No, even though it sounds cool, I don't think that the earth was "terraformed" (about 5% chance in my opionon)

Answer 9

all the planets are hear for a reason

Answer 10

We're here, why couldn't have they been there?