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Climate change is a looming threat to planet Earth, so scientists have been thinking of solutions. One of them is going to Mars in case Earth becomes inhabitable, as scientists think there might be water on Mars. But if someone asked me if I would move to Mars, I would always come out with a straight answer: no.

Recently, scientists have become curious about a rock that was found in a drawer at Purdue University, Indiana, in 1931. The rock’s name is the Lafayette Meteorite. It came zipping to Earth 10.7 million years ago from Mars after an asteroid hit the Red Planet. In 2024, Marissa Tremblay, an assistant professor at Purdue University found minerals in the rock that formed 742 million years ago. 

Marissa showed that some of these minerals formed due to liquid water, therefore there must have been water on Mars at some stage.  Scientists hypothesise that if there was water on Mars then, there might be water on Mars now, thereby making it habitable.

But what is Mars actually like now? It is a barren, cold desert, but it may not have been this way four billion years ago. Scientists now know that in the past Mars was wetter and warmer, making it possible that it once sustained life, but they have not yet found direct evidence that there was ever life on Mars. But I would prefer to stay on Earth.

The first reason is because I love animals. While we know that it may be possible to live on Mars someday, we don’t know that any other form of life could live on Mars as well. Secondly, imagine that when you were little, you and your mum went to the local playground and she would sing to you while you were on the swing. Even if you moved to another country, you would still be able to visit that playground. But if you lived on Mars, it would be very hard to visit that playground. All your special memories would almost be lost.

I often ask this hypothetical: how would I feel if I moved houses? I always think I would yearn for my old house. I think this is the way I would feel if I lived on Mars. I understand that some people would like the novelty of living on Mars, but I think the main reason why some people would want to live there is because of natural disasters on Earth due to climate change.

However, I think going to Mars is a bit extreme when we could just try to stop rising greenhouse gas emissions on Earth. Here are three things you can do to create a healthier planet Earth: save energy at home by switching off lights that aren’t being used. Secondly, switch to using renewable energy rather than using coal or gas. Third, walk, ride your bike, or take the bus to move around. Fourth, and most of all, we can appreciate the Earth we have before it’s too late. 

Darius Carnahan was an outstanding participant in Double Helix’s Young STEM Journalism Bootcamp. This year, Double Helix partnered with Letterly to launch the inaugural 4-week program, inviting students aged 8 to 18 to write science news articles on the topics that matter to them! This article went through multiple rounds of editing with 1-to-1 feedback from Letterly’s highly qualified and passionate writing coaches. Double Helix editors provided a final edit for accuracy and style.