Life on Mars: A Cultural History

Related Organization: Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering, and Technology

Presented virtually via Zoom webinar.

Is there life on Mars? What is at stake when we ask this question? This persistent scientific riddle has had different meanings in different historical eras. In the early twentieth century the American astronomer Percival Lowell claimed an intelligent civilization had built canals there. At the dawn of the space age scientists dispatched their first probes expecting to discover hardy vegetation. Today NASA rovers comb the surface looking only for traces of microbial life.

Examining these different eras of Mars exploration, we learn how the question of life has factored into different social and cultural movements here on Earth. These include theological debates, military conquest, scientific research, and most recently, commercial settlement. This historical perspective reveals how human plans for the Red Planet have evolved over time and deepens our understanding of both our important cosmic neighbor and the ongoing search for life in the universe.