The idea of living on Mars is getting more and more popular as spaceflight technology becomes more sophisticated. NASA and SpaceX are even seriously considering it as a possibility.
But there are many challenges to making this happen, from how to build self-contained spacecraft that can safely carry crews, to finding ways to protect astronauts from harmful solar and cosmic radiation, not to mention enabling them to live in microgravity on a planet without an atmosphere.
Lord Martin Rees, one of the foremost astronomers in the United States, claims that the obvious solution to some of these problems is to make future explorers part of cyborgs.
"These brave explorers on Mars will get out of the grip of regulators and they will be able to modify themselves because humans have difficulty adapting to Mars," he was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
According to him, people who later go to Mars, will use all these techniques to adjust. In a generation or two, they could become a very different species of human.
"We don't know what mix the flesh, blood and electronics combination will make. But if they became half robots, of course they could approach immortality. They would be able to make very long interstellar journeys, hibernating for thousands of years," Rees said. .
So do future Martians really need to be cyborgs? Overall, living on Mars will likely be easier for cyborgs who have adaptations that make them suited to the harsh conditions on the Red Planet.
However, Professor Andrew Coates, a Professor of Physics, Deputy Director (Solar System) at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory at UCL, explains that while it's possible to turn invaders into cyborgs, we must first focus on the bigger ones, one of which is the question "Is it possible to turn invaders into cyborgs?" is there life on Mars?".
"Eventually maybe we can develop robots that are smart enough that can make decisions on the spot. In the near future it's better to carry out robotic exploration for now and wait until we know the answers to life's questions before sending humans to Mars," he concluded.