How Mars lost its atmosphere and became a cold, dry world

[Toaster]

http://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/agu/journal...

http://arstechnica.co.uk/science/2015/11/how-mars-...

A NASA spacecraft orbiting Mars spies solar storms blowing Martian atmosphere away.

'Although the planet’s atmosphere is presently losing about 100 grams per second—the equivalent of a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder—scientists say Mars lost the bulk of its once thick atmosphere billions of years ago, a relatively short time after our solar system formed. The findings were published in multiple articles Thursday in Science and Geophysical Research Letters.....after the old Martian atmosphere left, scientists now understand it was carried away by the solar wind, gone forever. Additionally, absent a strong magnetic field, it would be difficult to consolidate gains made by thickening the Martian atmosphere by other means'.

[Toaster]

JagerT said:

In 50 years time this will be earths fate if we don't get a handle on global warming.Wake up people we are DOOMED !!

Thats about right and we are heading for the perfect storm

[Toaster]

Eric Mc said:

What effect has Global Warmimg on the earth's magnetic field?

I don't think JagerT's comment was referring to a magnetic field I took it as if we don't look after our own planet we are all fked and we won't be hopping off to Mars anytime soon to save our species

[Toaster]

Eric Mc said:

Possibly.

My prediction could be - "The Earth Dies Waiting" i.e. whilst we were hanging around waiting to solve all our problems, we accidentally became extinct.

I think we should just get on with it and stop faffing around.

Not possibly Eric, defiantly, the Earth doesn't give a care about us, unless we care for our environment we will be fked. Thinking we can just planet hop to solve our issues I would suggest is stilted thinking particularly when you see some comments that view other worlds/planets as a resource for humans to harvest, its what is causing issues on our plant so what gives us the right to despoil other worlds? As Chris Lovelock said 'enjoy the party while you can'

There is a Swedish word 'Lagom' and whilst there is no direct translation in essence it means balance in everything, if we got that right as humans it would be a better world.

[Toaster]

Simpo Two said:

I think it will be harder to kill all 7 billion humans than the 'OMG we're all doomed' people think. Even if a global catastrophe wipes out 99.9% of all humans, that still leaves 7 million. H. sapiens got to where he is for a reason.

If we carry on the way we are we are all doomed, 100% Extinct what makes you think there would be any survivors?

[Toaster]

Einion Yrth said:

The probability of an asteroid impact, at some point, is 1.0; if we don't get off this rock it doesn't matter how much of a garden of eden we make it, it's toast, and so are we.

Your right, there can be multiple demises of Man and the planet still doesn't mean we shouldn't look after it until then