Researchers argue that human artifacts on Mars should be preserved and cataloged as a valuable resource for understanding humanity’s first interplanetary exploration attempts. According to University of Kansas anthropologist Justin Holcomb, the Soviet Union’s 1971 crash landing of its Mars 2 rover left a “preserved” imprint on the planet’s surface, marking the first time humans have left their mark elsewhere in the universe.
Holcomb believes that human spacecraft, landers, rovers, and other space debris on Mars are equivalent to ancient stone tools found on Earth, providing a tangible record of humanity’s presence on another planet. By preserving these artifacts, researchers can create a framework for understanding the historical context of human exploration.
“The solution to trash is removal, but the solution to heritage is preservation,” Holcomb notes. This distinction highlights the importance of recognizing the value of space debris in the context of Martian archaeology.
Holcomb’s proposal aims to shift the focus from simply removing space junk to preserving it as a valuable resource for understanding humanity’s place in the universe. This new field of study, planetary geoarchaeology, would involve considering the environmental conditions on Mars, such as its ice-covered polar regions and iron-rich sands, when working with human-made materials.
The proposal has sparked interest among experts, who propose cataloging human-made materials on Mars using existing databases or creating new ones. A recent archeological survey on the International Space Station provided valuable insights into the challenges of preserving space artifacts in microgravity environments.
Source: https://cybernews.com/science/mars-archeology-trash-or-treasure