Where da waves at!? Photo: NASA
Without water, life (as we know it) cannot exist. The Earth’s surface is comprised of 70 percent water, providing humans and other life-forms the necessary ingredients for survival. In the grand scheme of things (ie: the boundlessness of the universe), earth is an anomaly. The chance occurrence of liquid water and thus living, breathing organisms was so rare that it spawned religious convictions and the idea that we as a species are the chosen ones, conceived by a higher power. But nay, we are no such special exception. NASA recently released findings of liquid water on Mars right here in our own solar system. And through scientific readings, they were able to discern and imagine the ancient oceans of the Red Planet.
Turns out Mars once had an ocean larger than Earth’s Arctic Ocean. Today Mars is a desert planet with an ice cap on its northern pole. But approximately 4.3 billion years ago, half the planet’s surface would’ve been covered by an ocean that reached depths of nearly a mile. This is huge for scientists concerned with finding extraterrestrial life, proving that we are not special, we are not an exception, and we are not alone. Also, with earthlings abuzz about the possibility of creating a human colony on Mars, this finding helps justify the Red Planet’s hospitable qualities. But perhaps most importantly, the ocean shows that one day in the distant future, we could be surfing waves on another planet.
So what exactly would surfing on Mars be like? If my calculations are correct (which is highly unlikely), there would have been potential for some massive waves. Mars experiences some of the largest storms in our solar system, and those storms would’ve produce some sizable surf. And the planet experiences a large array of climate conditions (from -225 °F to about 95 °F), which would create some serious pressure systems in the sea. Now for the really fun part. Mars’ gravity is only 38 percent that of Earth. So say John John Florence is speeding down a martian right-hander and he punts what on Earth would be a 4-foot air. That air would then become a lofty launch into the cosmos. Imagine if one day the WSL added contests to the roster on other planets, morphing into the GSL (Galactic Surf League) – wouldn’t that be stellar.
Learn more about Mars’ ancient ocean here:
