Sometimes we tend to forget that we live in an amazing time. Apart from the pandemic and all, but even then, the explosion of technology, ideas and commerce has led to a world where a lot seems possible. It’s one of the few keys to progress, the drive to explore and discover. Well, according to Top retired NASA scientist, Jim Green, we could even begin terraforming planets like Mars and even Venus. As the director of Nasa’s planetary science division. Green has been at the agency since 1980. In fact, he was even one of the people that came up with a scientific proposal on how we could verify and detect alien life.
In a recent interview with the New York Times, Green proposed that we could currently even terraform a dead planet like Mars. He talks about using a magnetic shield to prevent the sun from stripping away the ozone layer of the planet, bathing it in radiation. A magnetic shield would shield the planet and allow it to trap more heat and slowly begin to develop a climate that is habitable to humans. It’s not as simple as it sounds and requires a massive undertaking, but realistically, it could be done, according to Greene. He even goes as far as to say that we could conceivably terraform Venus as well by using the same magnetic shield method.
This may sound like science-fiction but do remember that we shot billionaires into space just a few months ago. Sending a team to Mars is tough but that could realistically happen in our lifetimes, the way things are progressing. Green is also keen on exploring the Jupiterian moon, Europa. Many researchers have theorized that Europa could be the one place in our solar system where we find life, other than Earth. The moon is said to contain a large amount of water that is located miles beneath the satellite's icy surface. Who knows what the future hold, but it does look like we’ll find out, sooner or later.
Also Read: Here’s how NASA will let you know if aliens exist