What are some things men could do on the surface of mars?

[ecat]

Wonder when is the return trip. As if there is a return trip...

http://xkcd.com/695/

[Kerbface]

I think the foam in cave idea is really interesting (are there many caves in Mars, though?). My biggest doubt, however, is how currently scientists are not big on exposing Mars to Earth life. It may already be too late to avoid that, but if you lived in a cave, I think it would definitely be too late. You've exposed rock directly to humans, which are crawling with the stuff.

[th3shameless]

I think the foam in cave idea is really interesting (are there many caves in Mars, though?). My biggest doubt, however, is how currently scientists are not big on exposing Mars to Earth life. It may already be too late to avoid that, but if you lived in a cave, I think it would definitely be too late. You've exposed rock directly to humans, which are crawling with the stuff.

i think the bigger worry would be exposing humans to any potential martian bacteria or something of the sort

[Kerbface]

i think the bigger worry would be exposing humans to any potential martian bacteria or something of the sort

I think our bacteria is more likely to kill them, since ours is evolved to deal with macroscopic life and theirs would not be. Nonetheless, it would be probably a good idea to examine the cave carefully before setting up base.

[Galacticruler]

You won't be having a video chat with anybody on Mars. There is a 15 minute round trip for the radio waves to go back and forth.

Actually, it could be faster if they used a laser aimed at a satellite in LEO....however signal would be spotty at best.

EDIT:

(if you're far enough from the surface. Rock is pretty good isolation, which is important when outside temperature can drop to the point it snows carbon dioxide

Brrrr....

Edited July 15, 2013 by Galacticruler

[OrbitusII]

i think the bigger worry would be exposing humans to any potential martian bacteria or something of the sort

Until we actually find signs of life (bacterial or otherwise) on Mars, I don't think we have to worry about this

or any sort of infection caused by Martian life forms.