Category: Science - Earth/Agricultural/Farming

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

EARLY OBSERVERS OF MARS, --Mars the only planet the surface of which is distinctly visible --Early observation of the snow-caps and seas --The 'canals' seen by Schiaparelli in 1877 --Double canals first seen in 1881 --Round spots at intersection of canals seen by Pickering in...

Chapters

15. CHAPTER VII.

The special characteristics of the numerous lines which intersect the whole of the equatorial and temperate regions of Mars are, their straightness combined with their enormous...

14. CHAPTER VI.

When we are presented with a complex problem depending on a great number of imperfectly ascertained data, we may often check the results thus obtained by the comparison of cases...

11. CHAPTER III.

Mr. Lowell admits, and indeed urges strongly, that there are no permanent bodies of water on Mars; that the dark spaces and spots, thought by the early observers to be seas, are...

13. CHAPTER V.

We have now to consider a still more important and fundamental question, and one which Mr. Lowell does not grapple with in this volume, the actual temperatures on Mars due to it...

16. CHAPTER VIII.

This little volume has necessarily touched upon a great variety of subjects, in order to deal in a tolerably complete manner with the very extraordinary theories by which Mr. Lo...

10. CHAPTER II.

In 1894, after a careful search for the best atmospheric conditions, Mr. Lowell established his observatory near the town of Flagstaff in Arizona, in a very dry and uniform clim...

12. CHAPTER IV.

Having now shown, that, even admitting the accuracy of all Mr. Lowell's observations, and provisionally accepting all his chief conclusions as to the climate, the nature of the...

9. CHAPTER I.

Few persons except astronomers fully realise that of all the planets of the Solar system the only one whose solid surface has been seen with certainty is Mars; and, very fortuna...

3. CHAPTER III.

THE CLIMATE AND PHYSIOGRAPHY OF MARS, --No permanent water on Mars --Rarely any clouds and no rain --Snow-caps the only source of water --No mountains, hills, or valleys on Mars...

6. CHAPTER VI.

A NEW ESTIMATE OF THE TEMPERATURE OF MARS, --Langley's determination of lunar heat --Rapid loss of heat by radiation on the earth --Rapid loss of heat on moon during eclipse --S...

7. CHAPTER VII.

A SUGGESTION AS TO THE 'CANALS' OF MARS, --Special features of the canals --Mr. Pickering's suggested explanation --The meteoritic hypotheses of origin of planets --Probable mod...

1. CHAPTER I.

EARLY OBSERVERS OF MARS, --Mars the only planet the surface of which is distinctly visible --Early observation of the snow-caps and seas --The 'canals' seen by Schiaparelli in 1...

2. CHAPTER II.

MR. LOWELL'S DISCOVERIES AND THEORIES, --Observatory at Flagstaff, Arizona --Illustrated book on his observations of Mars --Volume on Mars and its canals, 1906 --Non-natural fea...

4. CHAPTER IV.

IS ANIMAL LIFE POSSIBLE ON MARS? --Water and air essential for animal life --Atmosphere of Mars assumed to be like ours --Blue tint near melting snow the only evidence of water...

8. CHAPTER VIII.

PAGE SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION, --The canals the origin of Mr. Lowell's theory --Best explained as natural features --Evaporation difficulty not met by Mr. Lowell --How did Martian...

5. CHAPTER V.

TEMPERATURE OF MARS--MR. LOWELL'S ESTIMATE, --Problem of terrestrial temperature --Ice under recent lava --Tropical oceans ice-cold at bottom --Earth's surface-heat all from the...