Guide to the transformation of Mars

A new publication in Nature Astronomy has revived the idea of ​​transforming Mars into a habitable planet. Written by researchers at Pioneer Research Labs and the University of Chicago, the paper explores whether transforming Mars into a planet capable of supporting human life is scientifically feasible – and what it would actually take to do so.

“Believe it or not, no one has really addressed whether it is possible to transform Mars into a habitable planet since 1991,” said Nina Lanza, a planetary scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and co-author of the study. “However, since then, we have made great strides in Mars science, geoengineering, launch capabilities, and life science, which give us the opportunity to take a look at transformation research and ask ourselves what is truly possible.”

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Although the idea of ​​making Mars more like Earth has been around for a long time, it turns out that detailed scientific work on it has not been done. Now, with advances in climate science, life science, and space technologies, researchers believe it is time for further investigation.

The basic idea is to first warm up the Martian atmosphere. This could allow the modified microbes to start producing oxygen through photosynthesis. Slowly, this oxygen would build up, eventually supporting the presence of water and paving the way for more complex life. But the study points out that before we start with the grand plans, we should seriously think about how much it will cost, what could go wrong, and whether we are doing the right thing.

As the authors write, “Before we can assess whether warming Mars is worth it, relative to the alternative of leaving Mars as a pristine wilderness, we will need to address the practical requirements, costs, and potential risks.”

The paper takes a close look at the resources Mars has to offer—things like ice, carbon dioxide, and the composition of its soil. It also outlines new ideas that could help raise the planet's global temperature by several dozen degrees within a few decades. Some of these approaches include boosting solar heating or releasing greenhouse gases to trap more heat in the atmosphere.

The researchers say future studies should focus on learning more about the physical, chemical, and biological limits of these ideas. Doing so would not only guide future missions to Mars, but could also help science here on Earth. Tools like soil restoration technology, drought-tolerant crops, and better ways to model ecosystems could benefit our own planet, too.

“Mars habitability research offers a vital testing ground for planetary science, potentially validating theories or revealing knowledge gaps,” the authors write. “Continued research holds promise for significant scientific progress, regardless of whether full-scale terraforming is carried out.”

And in the long term, they add, “We don’t even know what is physically or biologically feasible. … If humans can learn how to shape a world like Mars, that could be the first step to destinations beyond it.”

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-025-02548-0

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