Mars

This absorbing book tells the story of Mars since the dawn of mankind's curiosity for celestial wonders. It covers everything, right from our ancient beliefs, through the revolution in our concepts of the cosmos around us in the 1600s, to the present day knowledge and beyond. It takes the reader on a journey all the way to the futuristic visions of science fiction and terraformed Mars with conditions suitable to Earth life. The story is told in a readable form with an absence of technical jargon. The text is supported by informative imagery and a simple, but inspiring layout with some special features such as a "flip movie" of the rotation of Mars.

Mars has always been shrouded in mystery. It is very difficult to resolve through a telescope. For many centuries it remained just a reddish blur in the sky. Even in ancient times, its blood-red color evoked fear and gave rise to myths and legends that are still with us today.

Over the centuries, bits and pieces of data on Mars have accumulated, and as more probes have made their way to the Red Planet, its veil of mystery is falling away. Nearly every week we are seeing exciting new pictures of Mars and learning more about its geology, weather, and history.

What do we actually know about Mars? Is it different from what people once thought they knew about Mars? Is there water on Mars? Is there possibly life that we have missed? What would it be like to live on Mars? What resources are there? Can Mars be terraformed to make it habitable for humans?

Markus Hotakainen s engrossing tale of Mars: From Myth and Mystery to Recent Discoveries will fill you in and entertain you with unbelievable stories that were once believed about Mars. We have come a long way in knowing our neighbor in space. Join Markus on this journey from myth to reality, and find out what we do know about Mars, and what is still a mystery.