Sex on Mars: The risk of creating a new human subspecies
New Delhi : Unlike having sex on the Earth, what if a couple enjoy sex on Mars? What if a woman gives birth to her offspring on the Red Planet? Sounds interesting, isn’t it! NASA along with space agencies around the world, some independent scientists and researchers are working hard to find out the possibilities of human colony on the Red Planet. Though getting there, constructing structure, creating food resources might be challenging, but sex on the Mars planet might be the biggest challenge of all.
A new research paper published in Futures mentioned that an international team of scientists are examining the challenges of reproduction on the Martian surface. It is obviously a risky plan, but if humans succeed in conceiving, carrying and birthing offspring on another world it might be beginning of a new species.
In the research paper, the scientists stated huge number of potential problems that could begin when humans become ready to nurture young on Mars. The first and most obvious obstacle is the low gravity environment, which could cause a serious threat to the conception and pregnancy processes that seem so simple here on Earth.
With just one-third the gravity of Earth, Mars travelers will suffer with arrays of health problems. Scientists came to know about such issues because astronauts who have spent months and in some cases years in space have been deeply observed for biological changes. Lower gravity cause muscles to deteriorate rapidly and can even weaken bone structure. Above all, astronauts sometimes experience eye-sight problems and even medical examinations highlight the changes in the shape of their brains.
These are some major issues that can stand as obstacles to lead a perfectly healthy life in the space. So, one can easily estimate the challenge of carrying a child in a microgravity environment.
In the study, the researchers also discussed about editing the genes of future Mars babies which might be an easy way to increase the prediction of survival. Optimizing a human for life on Mars could give us a big perimeter, but as days goes by it would also result in a new kind of species who can survive on the Mars but fail to live a normal life here on Earth.
