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Argumentative Essay On Mars

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Today’s scientists would agree that no planet has been more “steeped in myths and misconception” than Mars. Just about a hundred years ago, several scientists sincerely believed that extraterrestrial life was present on planet Mars, so the US government listened for radio signals from Mars until 1924. In movies such as Flight to Mars (1951), Mars was portrayed as a scary, mysterious place inhabited by hostile aliens which we know today is false. However, in 1965, NASA and JPL sent the first spacecraft, Mariner 4, to fly by Mars. Today, there are seven active missions that are being used to collect more data, including two rovers, Opportunity and Curiosity, which explore the surface. Mars has been garnering a lot of attention from the media …show more content…

It is made up largely of Carbon dioxide (95.32%), along with Nitrogen (2.7%), Argon (1.6%), and Oxygen (0.13%). The biggest issue caused by a significantly thinner atmosphere synergized with not having a global magnetic field is radiation. The magnetic field generated by Earth’s liquid iron core shields the planet from 99.9% of harmful radiation. However, in space, radiation is a serious hazard. The radiation dosage from the shortest round trip to Mars is about 0.66 sieverts, which is equivalent to receiving a CT scan every five or six days. The dose of radiation one will absorb from staying at Mars for a year would range from 0.2 sieverts to 0.3 sieverts depending on the location. To put things in perspective, absorbing a total of 8 sieverts will most likely result in death. Also, with a significantly small amount of Oxygen (0.13%), humans would have to wear a space suit while outside and live in pressurized habitats. Furthermore, Mars’ gravity is 31% compared to that of Earth’s gravity, which means that readjustments would have to be made in order to properly walk and run. Although this is a minor difference, it is more ideal compared to Earth’s moon whose gravity is 17% of

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