FUTURE humans living on Mars will undergo drastic physical changes and may even develop into a new sub-species, an expert has told The Sun.
Kyle Zagrodzky, founder of OsteoStrong, a company that specialises in bone health, explained that an unforgiving Martian environment could push humans to evolve into haunting versions of their “Earthling cousins”.
At first, Mars-bound astronauts will feel pretty good, according to Zagrodzky, as the lower level of gravity eases the weight on their bones and joints.
“New comers would have a massive physical advantage in the short run,” he said, before grimly stating: “Until their bones and muscles are down regulated.”
Living in Martian gravity – about 38% of Earth’s gravity – over extended periods is expected to have significant effects on the human body.
Optimistic estimates from a 2020 Stanford study found that astronauts on a three year mission to Mars and back would lose a third of their bone density.
Around half of them could go on to develop osteoporosis.
“For new adult visitors, spine elongation would probably the first noticeable change,” Zagrodzky continued.
“Other than a change in the distribution of fat, which might look more and more strange over time, we probably wouldn’t see significant outward physical changes in adults going to visit Mars for short periods of time.”
Grand plans to colonise Mars baffle the likes of Zagrodzky, who is deeply unsure of how humans will “survive” the harsh environment.
But if Elon Musk’s vision of the future is realised, humans could be living on Mars indefinitely in the not-so-distant future.
The eccentric billionaire, and the brain behind SpaceX, wants to take humans to Mars in less than 10 years and build a city there in two decades.
“New generations born on Mars would likely look and more much differently the their Earthling cousins,” Zagrodzky noted.
Asked what this new generation of humans could look like, Zagrodzky said: “Changes in fat distribution, making faces look puffier would likely be the first changes we’d see.
“One new generation growing up from birth would look a lot different, especially post puberty.”
Mars-born humans would not on only have rounder faces, but longer spines and limbs.
They may also be chronically pale due to warped cardiovascular development.
“On earth, significant adaptations happen during the early growth years and through puberty,” explained Zagrodzky.
“Without the effects of Earth’s gravity, I would expect that humans would be substantially weaker across the board: Bone, muscle and cardiovascular development would be greatly hindered.”
Martian humans would be far weaker than their Earthling cousins, and would be wrestling with the consequences of cosmic radiation and disrupted blood glucose levels.
Weak, under developed muscles would likely have fewer insulin receptors, and I’d imagine that Type 2 Diabetes would be a one of many serious issues that Martians would face.
“Muscles are used for more than strength,” said Zagrodzky.
“They also contain insulin receptors that are critical for regulating blood glucose levels.
“Weak, under developed muscles would likely have fewer insulin receptors, and I’d imagine that Type 2 Diabetes would be a one of many serious issues that Martians would face.”
In March, Volodymyr Usov, former chairman of Ukraine’s national space agency turned cosmic entrepreneur, told The Sun that we’d need genetically modified astronauts to colonise Mars.
He agreed that our biology that is holding us back from colonising other planets.
While Musk and his billionaire posse build the transport, Usov reckons private industry and scientists should be investing more in adapting human biology for space.
If we don’t, he says, long-term space travel will be practically impossible.
‘Distinct Martian variant’
A “a distinct “Martian” human variant” could emerge should humans live on Mars for multiple generations.
But a sci-fi vision of the future where Earthlings and Martians planet hop for holidays will be difficult to achieve.
Our Mars cousins would have a very hard time adapting if they came to visit Earth, and would have to strength train just to walk around.
Zagrodzky added; “It would be substantially more difficult without long term physical preparation.
“Weaker cardiovascular systems, bones and muscles, would make the simplest of tasks very challenging.
“Imagine your body, and everything you pick up being about 2.5 times heavier. Fractures would come easily to these poor souls.”