Is Mars habitable? A critical examination of Professor Percival Lowell's book "Mars and its canals," with an alternative explanation

Name: Is Mars habitable? A critical examination of Professor Percival Lowell's book "Mars and its canals," with an alternative explanation
Author: Alfred Russel Wallace

By Alfred Russel Wallace

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Science - Earth/Agricultural/Farming

About This Book

The author examines claims that Martian surface features are artificial and that the planet supports a temperate climate, arguing instead that Mars has a very thin atmosphere, severe cold, and insufficient water; he critiques mathematical estimates that ignore atmospheric insulation, applies lunar temperature studies and altitude-related cooling to demonstrate low surface temperatures, and proposes a natural explanation for linear canals, oases, and double lines based on a meteoritic mode of planetary origin and familiar geological processes, while also discussing consequences for the moon's volcanic character.

About the Author

Alfred Russel Wallace

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) was a British naturalist, explorer, and biologist, best known for independently formulating the theory of evolution through natural selection, a concept he presented alongside Charles Darwin. His extensive travels in the Amazon and the Malay Archipelago provided him with rich insights into biodiversity and biogeography, which he documented in works such as "A Narrative of Travels on the Amazon and Rio Negro." Wallace also contributed to various fields, including entomology and anthropology, and was an advocate for spiritualism later in life, as reflected in his book "A Defence of Modern Spiritualism." His legacy endures in the realms of science and literature, marking him as a pivotal figure in the history of evolutionary thought.