Monday, March 13, 2017

TOW #22 -- How Living on Mars Could Challenge Colonists by Karl Tate (Text)

          Having designed for various clients, including The Associated Press and LAPTOP magazine, Karl Tate designs an infographic to go with this article explaining why living on Mars is practically impossible. It aims to help inform those unware of the conditions on Mars as well as turn down any simplified idea of us being able to colonize it, and perhaps its most common use is for young children looking for a simple answer on whether humanity can live on this other planet or not.

            Tate’s use of a visual to paraphrase and visibly show his argument helps organize the information he bombards the reader with afterward. It catches our attention, and, usually, it seems like it takes less effort to read a picture than it is to read the actual text, so many people looking for convenience get what can essentially be considered a helpful summary without needing to read the rest. The article itself is full of statistics and facts, proving his point through the mere truth of the subject. For example, he simply states, “The air on Mars, such as it is, is about 1 percent the density of air on Earth. Martian air is composed of more than 95 percent carbon dioxide. Since Mars lacks a substantial magnetic field like the Earth's, the Red Planet cannot deflect harmful radiation that comes from space.” For anyone with a basic understanding of the facts he offers, it is easy enough for the reader to come to the logical conclusion in which humans cannot inhabit Mars without some kind sort of aid to sustain us. Tate also, with each given reason, makes a comparison between Mars and Earth, and whether he is showing it or stating it, the comparisons really work in putting into perspective just how much more difficult it would be to live on the red planet. Each of these factors work together to provide a rather justified argument on why humans are unable to live unaided on Mars.

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