Greenhouse effect could make Mars livable

[RGBVideo]

He didn't mention greenhouse gases, just pollution.

Burning coal doesn't really create pure CO2 as an only result, does it?

I hate to burst everyone's bubble...

Don't worry, you're not bursting my bubbles at least... there are many other problems than the one you mentioned, the process described in that theory was quite complex and needed huge amounts of investment over a long timespan... I just quickly wanted to point out that the article which Wittlich posted doesn't contain anything particularly new or, say, revolutionary.

[The Mad Monk]

...

[RGBVideo]

?

Look, can you find me a mine somewhere which digs coal so pure that it's 100% carbon? Or is there a translation error somewhere along my lines?

[Ned]

I still think the way to go would be to restart the magnetic core in some fashion and divert asteroids/comets as necessary. A small amount of energy diverting an asertoid with the proper materials brings enormous dividends in a relatively short time.

It it just that I cannot imagine how to restart the magnetic core.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Obviously we need nitrogen.

Yes, he mentioned that

Where the hell are we going to get a huge volume of nitrogen? We can't exactly bottle and ship it from earth, and I don't think there are massive nitrogenous asteroids flying through space

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Ned
I still think the way to go would be to restart the magnetic core in some fashion and divert asteroids/comets as necessary. A small amount of energy diverting an asertoid with the proper materials brings enormous dividends in a relatively short time.

It it just that I cannot imagine how to restart the magnetic core.

We should have a submarine-esque vehicle deliver a 100-megaton nuke!

[chequita guevara]

Maybe we could send all the Christians to Mars.

[Kuciwalker]

Or to heaven

[DRoseDARs]

Originally posted by Ned
I still think the way to go would be to restart the magnetic core in some fashion and divert asteroids/comets as necessary. A small amount of energy diverting an asertoid with the proper materials brings enormous dividends in a relatively short time.

It it just that I cannot imagine how to restart the magnetic core.

By using a turbocharged manned drill bit loaded with nukes. These nukes would be deployed in a non-specific but important way such that when they blow it'll be a bumpy and harrowing ride for the 2 remaining crew members (one man and one woman for whom a contrived, romanitcally-charged atmosphere has emerged during the course of the mission; romances that develope under stressful situations like disasters rarely last) as they frantically race to the surface to escape the blast. Hell, they might find geodes the size of small cities as they go along.

[Kuciwalker]

You lose

[DRoseDARs]

i started typing mine up before any of j00s, so stfu n00b!!11!!

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Plant life needs animal life, too.

Not necessarily. We could use algae and bacteria, for example.

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Plus, the Doctor's point was that we need a very large quantity of something OTHER than CO2 and oxygen.

That's okay, nitrogen is easy to get.

[Kuciwalker]

Not necessarily. We could use algae and bacteria, for example.

These algae would grow in Mars' enormous oceans, right?

That's okay, nitrogen is easy to get.

From where? The special belt of nitrogenous asteroids?

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker

Not necessarily. We could use algae and bacteria, for example.

These algae would grow in Mars' enormous oceans, right?

As DRose pointed out, the first step is to warm up Mars.

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
From where? The special belt of nitrogenous asteroids?

The polar caps of Mars is likely to contain a fair amount of nitrogen, as volcanic activities were (still are) a major source. Then you can oxidise compounds such as ammonia. Comets can be a last resort.

[The Mad Monk]

Terraforming Mars is a vanity project that will only take time and resources away from other, far more deserving projects, and if successful, will hobble our efforts on many of those other projects.