To terraform or not to terraform, that is the question.?

Question

Suppose in the future we plan to terraform Mars, but right when we plan to launch the project primitive Martian life is found. You are in charge of the project. Do you terraform or not. Explain your arguments

Answer 1

Interesting question. I suppose it depends on what type of lifeform it was. Are we talking microbes, or complex fauna? If it was the former, I would go ahead and terraform anyway; single celled lifeforms probably aren't going to be affected all that much by a change of environment. For organisms more advanced than that, I would do so if we really needed to get off this rock before we become extinct due to a disaster, natural or otherwise. If there wasn't a critical need for terraforming, then I would leave well enough alone.

Answer 2

Primitive life or not, I think a lot of my answer depends on the current status of Earth as well as organizations supporting the project. I couldn't make a concrete decision without knowing more about the situation.

I think it would be cool to terraform Mars, but, what happens once we do, will it be nice and cozy, or turn out to be a junkyard like Earth...

It all really depends on the urgency to do so, which, like most scenerios, is controlled and accounted for by how much money we're willing to spend and if it's even worth it to spend the money.

Answer 3

I think my decision would be based on the urgency of our need for additional space and resources. If Earth happens to be near the breaking point and crowded beyond all belief, then I would consider the need of humanity and all of the other organisms that could benefit from this new home to be above that of microbes.

If the need was not as urgent, then I would opt to hold off the operation for a time so that the new life could be studied as-is. Understanding another evolutionary path could accelerate our knowledge of how life forms, and aid us in the search for inhabited worlds outside of our solar system. Ultimately, though, I would value human lives and complex animal life above microbial life, especially bacterial, which is not much more than DNA surrounded by protein.

Answer 4

If the primitive life forms are nothing more than microbes or bacteria, I would terraform.  If they were things similar to plants or insects, I'd study them and possibly, but probably not terraform.  If they were more advanced, like fish or birds, I definitely wouldn't.

Answer 5

Not. Not yet, at least. I would allow scientists to study the Martian life forms and their environment needs before changing anything. That way we could simulate what they need to live while we learn more about them.