
Could we create a breathable atmosphere on Mars?
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Don't hold your breath...
Asked by: Harvey Wood, by email
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Various ideas have been proposed, many involving the release of chemicals into Mars’s atmosphere to trap the Sun’s heat, triggering a greenhouse effect. This might then make Mars suitable for bacteria or plants capable of turning carbon dioxide into oxygen.
So, it may be possible – but don’t hold your breath.
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Authors

Robert MatthewsPhysicist
Robert is a science writer and visiting professor of science at Aston University.
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