Mars has long inspired authors to tell tales. With rapid technological advancements of deep space missions, the hype of colonizing the red planet reaches a new height. Space X founder, Elon Musk, even argues that Mars is the most promising destination to extend our survival in the event that a third World War occurs. But why Mars, not another planet? This infographic below summarizes our understanding of Mars to-date.
The Infographic
Information Fluency Questions
- What question did you need to research in order to research your topic?
I used the following questions to guide my research in this project:- What makes a planet habitable?
- Why are scientists neglecting Venus while it is nearer to Earth?
- What are the similarities between Mars and Earth?
- What are the unique challenges to live on Mars? What are some of the proposed technologies to resolve them?
- What resources are readily available on Mars to allow humans to live off the land?
- Can we terraform Mars to make it Earth-like? Is it ethical?
- How can we govern human colonists on Mars? Do Earth laws apply to them?
- What new or familiar digital tools did you try to use as you worked through this project?
Google Chrome and YouTube were the search engines I used to find clear definitions and explanations of my research topic. To make sure the information was accurate, I first searched virtual reference libraries such as Gale and Wiley Online Library. When other websites were needed, I only chose the articles written by creditable authors or publishers, such as NASA as well as leading astronomy news websites like https://www.space.com/ and https://www.universetoday.com/. For the research and synthesis stages, I used Microsoft Word to organize my findings. The final presentation was completed via Pikochart. To make the infographic more visually coherent, I learned basic Photoshop commands to change the colours of the images. All images were obtained from credible image providers. Lastly, I generated the bibliography using Citation Machine to properly credit the source of the data. - What was the process you used to investigate the topic?
To investigate my research topic, I first reviewed the criteria of the project and brainstormed sub-questions related to Mars colonization. Next, I proceeded to evaluate the significance of these questions and organized them in a logical order. Once the flow was determined, I began my research on the Internet. To avoid being misled by inaccurate information, only creditable sources were reviewed. When in doubt, I cross-checked the content with other websites. During this time, I logged the findings in the research template. All web addresses of the referenced information were also saved and organized along the way. After the research phase, I analyzed and integrated my findings in textual format, then planned the narrative of the presentation. Afterwards, I illustrated the data in the format of an infographic. Much thought was given to the design and effectiveness of the communication. At this point, I also searched online for the most relevant images that were thought to enhance the visual appeal of the presentation. I tried not to use the standard Piktochart graphics because my goal was to make the infographic unique. The final step of the project was to check if all requirements were met. - How did you verify and cite the information you found?
To verify the information on my project, I checked the reputation of authors or publishers. If the authors were experts in the field (e.g. NASA scientists), I knew the contents were more trustworthy. With the rapid development of space technologies in recent years, I tried to avoid outdated information and used only articles from the last five years. If I had doubts about the accuracy of the information, I cross-referenced it against other websites. I cited all image credits by including their web links. All other references are generated by http://www.citationmachine.net in MLA format. - How did the process of completing this challenge go? What could you have done better?
In this Wonder Project, I was taught to use a multi-step process to obtain, analyze, and interpret my research data. This systematic and methodical approach went well. It allowed me to identify relevant information efficiently, hence improved the overall quality of infographic. However, the scope of my research topic was large and I was overwhelmed by the extent of information available. For example, our knowledge of other planets is also fast evolving. Also, determining the habitability of Mars in the long-run goes beyond fulfilling basic physical needs. However, terraforming technologies or ethical/legal considerations can each be a research focus of its own. My infographic contains a large amount of data, which can be difficult for readers to process or maintain interest. The biggest area I would like to improve in the future is to learn how to narrow down the scope of my research.
Bibliography
Badescu, Viorel, and Kris Zacny. Inner Solar System Prospective Energy and Material Resources. Springer International Publishing, 2015.
Cain, Fraser, producer. Living Off The Land On Mars. What Can We Find On The Red Planet? 10 Dec. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmpQpmhigEY. Accessed 15 Feb. 2020.
Canright, Shelley. Aquaponics. 19 May 2009, www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/9-12/features/aquaponics.html. Accessed 18 April. 2020.
David, Leonard. “Toxic Mars: Astronauts Must Deal with Perchlorate on the Red Planet.” Space.com, 13 June 2013, www.space.com/21554-mars-toxic-perchlorate-chemicals.html. Accessed 9 Feb. 2020.
Hall, Jeffrey C., and David T. King, Jr. “Mars.” The Gale Encyclopedia of Science, edited by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, 5th ed., Gale, 2014. Gale In Context: Science, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CV2644031371/SCIC?u=43sbo&sid=SCIC&xid=2563d9d5. Accessed 5 Feb. 2020.
Kurgesagt – In a Nutshell, producer. Building a Marsbase is a Horrible Idea: Let’s do it! 3 Feb. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqKGREZs6-w. Accessed 23 Mar. 2020.
Levchenko, Igor, et al. “Mars Colonization: Beyond Getting There.” Wiley Online Library, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 25 Oct. 2018, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/gch2.201800062. Accessed 15 Feb. 2020.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “Earth.” NASA Science – Solar System Exploration, 19 Dec. 2019, solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/earth/in-depth. Accessed 23 Mar. 2020.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “Mars.” NASA Science – Solar System Exploration, 19 Dec. 2019, solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/mars/in-depth. Accessed 23 Mar. 2020.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “Venus.” NASA Science – Solar System Exploration, 19 Dec. 2019, solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/venus/in-depth. Accessed 23 Mar. 2020.
Williams, David R. Earth Fact Sheet. Retrieved from nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/earthfact.html. Accessed 31 Mar. 2020.
Williams, David R. Mars Fact Sheet. nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/marsfact.html. Accessed 31 Mar. 2020.
Williams, David R. Venus Fact Sheet. nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/venusfact.html. Accessed 31 Mar. 2020.
Williams, Matt. “How Do We Terraform Mars?” Universe Today, 31 July 2018, www.universetoday.com/113346/how-do-we-terraform-mars/. Accessed 15 Feb. 2020.
Image Credits
- https://www.cleanpng.com/png-mars-earth-illustration-6420326/
- https://www.iconfinder.com/icons/2186365/astronaut_spaceman_spacesuit_icon
- https://www.cleanpng.com/png-boxing-glove-punch-computer-icons-fight-886459/
- https://pngtree.com/freepng/flat-temperature-icon-download_4441297.html
- https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/flower-plant-soil-icon-simple-style-vector-28036310
- https://www.iconfinder.com/icons/4162973/dead_dirt_dust_icon
- https://www.iconfinder.com/icons/491115/allergies_cleaning_cloud_dust_icon
- https://www.cleanpng.com/png-arrow-portable-network-graphics-transparency-clip-7164637/
- https://pngtree.com/freepng/vector-wind-icon_4225203.html
- https://icon-icons.com/icon/ice-cube/39082
- https://graphicriver.net/item/multicolored-cosmos-icon-set/11757846
- https://favpng.com/png_view/teaching-periodic-table-chemistry-symbol-chemical-element-png/QYte2EwJ
- https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/robotic-arm-for-3d-printer-line-icon-vector-26863688
- https://www.flaticon.com/free-icon/igloo_281495
- https://thenounproject.com/term/greenhouse/231813/
- https://thenounproject.com/search/?q=plant&i=3254937
- https://thenounproject.com/search/?q=fish&i=3199921
- https://thenounproject.com/search/?q=mars&i=3128928
- https://thenounproject.com/search/?q=asteriod&i=2169907
- https://thenounproject.com/search/?q=satelitte&i=578022
- https://thenounproject.com/search/?q=chemistry&i=2077311
- https://thenounproject.com/search/?q=bacteria&i=714713
Unrefereced images were powered by Piktochart.
My Reflection
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Great introduction to your infographic. Engaging and inviting. The information you put into your infographic was just what I was looking for: show me Mars stats and Venus stats and let’s compare. This is a great summary to really see whether the habitability of Mars is hype or reality. The one thing I would have like to see here is you answer that question: from everything that you learned, would you, Caleb, consider the habitability of Mars hype or reality?
Wow Caleb! You have pulled detailed information from a breadth of reliable resources and done an excellent job communicating your understanding of your question. I love how you broke your question down into pieces, used graphics to better communicate your information, and provided your final response to the likelihood of inhabiting Mars. I really liked the visual comparisons of Mars versus Venus! Furthermore, you have kept track of all of your sources, including images – well done!