Colonization of Mars is one of the most promising areas of the modern space industry. However, the biggest problem will not be rockets or life support systems, but the people themselves, whose bodies will have to adapt to new conditions.
Scientists around the world are aiming to send humans to Mars, and perhaps even turn a desert planet into a new cosmic Eden. Even Elon Musk has promised to send an expedition to Mars in 2024, not to mention the fact that NASA plans to come to grips with the Martian mission after the next flight to the Moon.
But, despite the colossal resources that have already been invested in creating a technological base for the colonization of the Red Planet, we still have a rather poor understanding of the processes of evolutionary adaptation that will inevitably affect a person during a long stay in an alien environment. In a recent interview with Inverse, evolutionary biologist and Rice University professor Scott Solomon spoke about the long-term future of colonists and how mutations will cascade their genotype.
In January 2018, Solomon gave a TEDx talk in Houston describing the evolutionary changes that the first Martian settlers are likely to experience. He believes that in about two generations their bones will become stronger, the immune system will almost completely fail, pregnancy and childbirth will be much more difficult, vision will become myopic, and the average radiation dose for each inhabitant of the colony will be 5000 times more than that of the average inhabitant of the Earth. …
But Solomon's most important assertion is that the Martians will no longer have to breed with earthlings.
"Evolution moves faster or slower, depending on what advantage the new mutation gives to the species," explains the professor. Thus, if the inhabitants of Mars get a mutation that will increase their chances of survival, it will be good, but such genes will be passed on best within a closed population. In addition, contact with earthlings over time can become fatal for the Martians, as well as vice versa. Remember Wells' War of the Worlds? There are no microbes on Mars that can cause disease, and therefore the immune system of the Martians will simply forget how to deal with them and, in case of infection, will be powerless.
It should be noted that although the word "mutation" usually has a negative connotation, in this case it can only play into the hands of a person. Every new child born on Earth is born with about 60 mutations, and on Mars this number will increase a thousand times. By mutating, the Martians will receive vital advantages that will allow them to cope with the harsh conditions of a planet alien to humans. In particular, they will change their skin tone to protect themselves from aggressive sun radiation, the body will be less dependent on oxygen, and the bones will become denser to counteract calcium loss during pregnancy.
Solomon also suggested that we can use CRISPR to purposefully develop beneficial mutations like this. Recall that recently the astronauts of the ISS proved that this technique for editing the genome works even in space - so that in the future, genetic engineering can help humans colonize many other worlds. In addition, if at some point the Earth becomes uninhabitable, we will always be able to settle down on other planets - even if the only way to long-term survival is to transform humanity into a completely different species.
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Vasily Makarov