What If Mars Was Half Land and Half Water?

Mars didn’t always look like this. It may have once been covered in oceans. But what if we brought all the Martian water back and transformed the red planet into one that’s half blue? What would Mars look like if it was 50% land and 50% water? Where would we even find enough water to fill Martian oceans? And why might we have no choice but to nuke the red planet?
Transcript and sources: whatifshow.com/what-if-mars-w...
00:00 What If Mars Was Half Land and Half Water?
02:07 Thanks Better Internet!
03:09 Transferring water to Mars
04:31 Nuking Mars
06:13 Redirecting comets and meteors
07:13 Water boiling away
Questions or concerns? Contact us at underknown.com/contact/
Get our 100 best episodes in one mind-blowing book: bit.ly/ytc-the-what-if-100-book
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @whatifscienceshow
Check out our other channels:
How to Survive: bit.ly/how-to-survive-show
Aperture: bit.ly/aperture-show
Crazy Creatures: bit.ly/crazy-creatures-show
Your Body On: bit.ly/your-body-on-show
Origins of Food: bit.ly/origins-of-food
Versus: bit.ly/versus-show
WTF Did I Just Watch: bit.ly/wtf-did-i-just-watch
Watch more what-if scenarios:
Planet Earth: bit.ly/YT-what-if-Earth
The Cosmos: bit.ly/YT-what-if-Cosmos
Technology: bit.ly/YT-what-if-Technology
Your Body: bit.ly/YT-what-if-Body
Humanity: bit.ly/YT-what-if-Humanity
T-shirts and merch: bit.ly/whatifstore
Suggest an episode: bit.ly/suggest-whatif
Newsletter: bit.ly/whatif-newsletter
What If elsewhere:
Instagram: bit.ly/whatif-instagram
Discord: / discord
Twitter: bit.ly/whatif-twitter
Facebook: bit.ly/facebook-whatif
What If in Spanish: bit.ly/YT-Spanish-what-if
What If in Mandarin: bit.ly/YT-Chinese-what-if
Podcast: bit.ly/yt-what-if-show-podcast
What If is a mini-documentary web series that takes you on an epic journey through hypothetical worlds and possibilities. Join us on an imaginary adventure through time, space and chance while we (hopefully) boil down complex subjects in a fun and entertaining way.
Produced with love by Underknown in Toronto: underknown.com
Contact us at underknown.com/contact/
#whatif #mars #space #nasa #cosmos #science #solarsystem #astrophysics #astronomy

[@Smartest_]

If Mars were half land and half water, it would likely have a much denser atmosphere and a much warmer climate. This would potentially make it possible for liquid water to exist on the planet's surface, which would make it much more hospitable for life as we know it. However, it is important to note that Mars currently does not have enough of an atmosphere to support liquid water on its surface and it's also unclear whether or not the planet has the capability to generate a magnetic field to protect the water from the solar wind and radiation.

[@iamtheiceman]

Yes, the lack of a magnetic field to protect the planet is the problem. No matter what you do to make the planet habitable (water, air, etc) - the fact that there is a weak magnetic field means the Sun's solar winds will just strip everything off ! That makes doing any of the effort to terra-form the planet a complete waste of time. I find it ridiculous how people keep fantasizing about sending humans to colonize Mars, when in reality, the planet - itself - will always reject our ability to add life to it. No magnetic field = don't bother wasting your time adding stuff - because it won't last.

[@Smartest_]

@@iamtheiceman yes, your absolutely right!

[@joeribaars5481]

could we generate a Magnetic field in the future capable to fix mars?

[@SandboxerSandy]

🤖gpt

[@chi11edpython4]

Forgot to mention that the reason why Mars lost its atmosphere to solar winds. Mars lost its atmosphere due to the magnetosphere withering away. without one even if you could bring water to Mars and increase the air pressure to earth like conditions, it would only be stripped away again

[@iamtheiceman]

Exactly ! I wish the media (and even our scientists) would stop the fantasy of us ever being able to colonize Mars. No magnetic field means no protection from the Sun. Whatever we add to make it more habitable would just be stripped away by the Sun's solar winds.

[@iamtheiceman]

@Rik Debruyne :) if we have lived for a million years and could actually verify this then maybe there is something to consider. Otherwise it is a futile effort to add resources to the planet. It is like adding water to a bucket that has holes in the bottom. It is a losing proposition.

[@scorpion-man28]

What if earth's magnetic field went from the equator to the poles?

[@toddboyce3599]

Well we can no longer call it "Northern Lights" Only Aurora or "Equateral lights" I am not even sure if Equateral is a word.

[@blazinjaden]

@@toddboyce3599 lmao it could be a word

[@sociosanch3748]

Yes

[@mike-ner6645]

Nothing, nothing would happen. Expect the northern lights would change locations and we would need to redo our compasses.

[@BonaparteBardithion]

@@toddboyce3599 The word your looking for is "Equatorial". You were close.

[@rainbowlizard4736]

ya'll should do an episode what if there was more anti matter than matter.

[@evilyuisnightcore9490]

that would be a good one

[@muyou0107]

It'll look the same.

[@dougfowler1368]

Awesome stuff! I wondered if any reference would be made to the fabulous Red Mars trilogy but I read about 30 years ago. Somehow I don't think they use nukes. :) You sort of did when you talked about how the greenhouse gasses would then allow the possibility of terraforming Mars at the end. I wish I could remember more about that series, maybe when I retire I'll have time to read it again.

[@TSierra]

Thanks for the content, your channel is amazing!

[@newsnowmilitia1147]

Wish we would start nuking mars and terraforming it be a awesome planet to explore and in many many years it will be done sucks we won’t be here to see that happen 😢

[@WhatIfScienceShow]

Thank you, your support is appreciated!

[@tharun3081]

Nice one Very informative

[@WhatIfScienceShow]

Thank you for your support!

[@shivamshardul9894]

I'm watching your video on 1.25x speed 🥲🥲

[@moonblazex]

lol

[@gerardofaustin8156]

I watched it at 1.5 speed.

[@Spongyboi897]

watch it at 0.25x lol

[@abrarhussaindar1302]

1.25🥲

[@thesoul2004]

But his speed is right for me because I generally don't understand American toon of talking. His speed helps me to understand what he wants to say. He is very smart bro. He understands people and their reactions. Have a great day.

[@Ryan-hv2lw]

Out of interest, do you know how all that extra water weight would affect Mars?

[@akosimachu8164]

This channel answered my questions, It also expanded my knowledge... By alot.

[@WhatIfGiveaway.._]

☝️☝️☝️ Congratulations!! you have been selected among my shortlisted giveaway winner's. Text the above name on telegra 🎁🎉

[@toddboyce3599]

You answered more questions than school ever could.

[@ChoiSeongYT]

Beautiful video! ❤

[@LoveHandle4890]

Then at least it would be habitable for a change and that’s all that matters.

[@bobprice9541]

The water boiling away would add to the atmosphere, raising the boiling point until some sort of equilibrium is reached. However, since Mars doesn't have a magnetic field like Earth has, the sun would strip away this new atmosphere, rendering Mars a cold dry airless world again.

[@iamtheiceman]

Yes, meaning it was a waste of effort an resources to add terra-forming materials to Mars in the first place. The sun is just going to strip off everything anyway !

[@sifilore9462]

I enjoy this channel and offered ideas for the creators if they read my comments, here's another. As there r vids on solar panels, "What If Everyone All Had Well Water?"

[@thesoul2004]

You are right bro. You have a curious mind and great understanding. I respect you for your these two qualities. You have a sharp mind. Have a great day.👍👍👍

[@thesoul2004]

Your suggestion is right i agree with your suggestion.

[@GoogleMapsMystery]

Kanal za svaku pohvalu. Samo nastavite tako. Puno pozdrava vam zelim 🌍❤

[@gold19387]

4 billion years ago earth was a LAVA WORLD of LAVA and volcanic rock and landscape and Mars was a rocky planet and Saturn's ring was gone

[@AmritSingh-dr9ws]

I love this channel and I beat my test thx so much I Beated my test

[@WhatIfScienceShow]

We love you too, thanks for watching! 🙂

[@AmritSingh-dr9ws]

@@WhatIfScienceShow omg u comment

[@fahimredwan]

Love what if videos

[@TundeEszlari]

Great content.

[@WhatIfScienceShow]

Thank you, stay tuned for more!

[@macwelch8599]

What if Mars was our neighbor in the habitable zone?

[@fabriziobiancucci7702]

It is already in the habitable zone. The problem is its size

[@macwelch8599]

@@fabriziobiancucci7702 oh, I thought it got pushed out, which is why it’s dead, so to speak

[@CheyenneBuchanan-cn5bj]

Great videos, as always. Would love to see a What-If about "Population Collapse." I can't find anything like that anwhere.

[@WhatIfGiveaway.._]

☝️☝️☝️ Congratulations!! you have been selected among my shortlisted giveaway winner's. Text the above name on telegra 🎁🎉

[@Xeno_Bardock]

It wouldn't surprise me if Mars is hiding deep underground oceans like Earth and other Moons so all one need to do is dig few hundred kilometers. Mars would be also naturally warm enough to support life in network of deep underground caves with trapped atmosphere.

[@kingkempf2540]

There’s a game called TerraGenesis where you terraform planets, and it uses actual NASA data. Fun little game.

[@Splotchy]

How does this only have 20 likes?

[@kimbratton9620]

Wow that would be amazing!

[@WhatIfScienceShow]

Thanks for watching!

[@gibbsterV]

Stuff like this is what I hoped they’d teach in hs 😭 Love your videos

[@danielgriffin8213]

Earth keeps its atmosphere, because it has the water. Because if we lost some, we might just loose all of it. If we didn't have the water, we wouldn't have the atmosphere, then we would loose more water. And so on...

[@iamtheiceman]

Earth keeps its atmosphere because we have a strong magnetic field, which prevents the Sun's solar winds from stripping it all away. Mars has almost no magnetic field - hence why it can never (keep) water/air on it - as the Sun will just sand-blast it off anyway.

[@nititheking5996]

Pls do what if we put a giant magnet in space

[@spawnofragnarok9267]

What if perpetua from DC comics is real ?

[@metalpsyche82]

this episode's score is pretty cool. what is its name?

[@dragonj9523]

Wow I can’t wait to live there

[@KocerSohail]

I like you what if. I have learn new things from you. I am keep on watch your video

[@ayyybob]

So 94% of the video was you explaining how to put water in mars, 5% of it was the sponsor, and 1% of it was the actual what if part, big fan of that....

[@HI-ej8rl]

Nice information ! 😄

[@WhatIfScienceShow]

Thanks! 🙂

[@DLR1997]

It was half water in the past

[@georgepg3d854]

Can you do what if habitable planet was in our solar system?

[@humfree6436]

I like to think of this guy as the guy who asked all those unanswerable questions to his parents

[@rhondacampagna1548]

I love your videos my kids watch them all the time

[@Yo_chillbommashaka]

I have leaned so much that I have been studying space for 3years now thank thank

[@WhatIfGiveaway.._]

☝️☝️☝️ Congratulations!! you have been selected among my shortlisted giveaway winner's. Text the above name on telegra 🎁🎉

[@toddboyce3599]

1 Nuke costs 28 million.

[@livingdelife7250]

Comments in outer space would be good too

[@Light_Force_Of_Prayer]

Just Simply Terraforming Mars Would Make It Half Water And Half Land Since Half Of It Is Lowlands And The Other Half Is Highlands.

[@AmazingGuy13]

You have to build the atmosphere first

[@yuriclavinreyes4956]

Titan also has water

[@sadeepapiumal5888]

this video is very beautiful

[@darkalpha4790]

What if humans could hear all voices? Like -23 decibels when atoms collide. Amazing video btw!!!

[@bstv3632]

Learning

[@camsanchez6247]

Make a video of what if all humans and animals disappear without a trace, only having insects left. What would happen to earth and how do you think insects would evolve or what would happen to earth?

[@YashMishra180]

This video was "How to make Mars Half Land and Half Water?"😅

[@orlandowoodson7978]

The glaciers are melting. We do need to send some water somewhere.

[@seanjones3741]

You should do a what if All of space had the same air density percentage of gasses and pressure as earth everywhere in space

[@WhatIfGiveaway.._]

☝️☝️☝️ Congratulations!! you have been selected among my shortlisted giveaway winner's. Text the above name on telegra 🎁🎉

[@Yossef213]

What if the asteroid belt collided with Mars?

[@fabriziobiancucci7702]

Probably they form a larger planet that after few million years cools down and became covered by oceans and a dense atmosphere formed by all the oxygen and the carbon dioxide emerged by Mars crust where the meteors fused it. The asteroid belt would added a mass similar to the one of the Moon, so Mars would became quite larger and with a stronger gravity. Also, the new mass would probably increase the weight on the core causing it to fuse and create a new magnetic field. After few million years, Mars would became a planet with 3/4 the size of the Earth, a stable magnetic field, a thick atmosohere and large oceans generated by the water taken by the meteors and by the melt of the ice residues on the red planet. In short a good place where life can develop

[@avnishraj8573]

There is no video from last almost 3 months egarly waiting for that

[@koolking9174]

@what_if, please make a video on " what if we had to share the solar system with entirely new species " OR "what if there was another intelligent species like human in the solar system "

[@BonaparteBardithion]

Depends on how human-like they are technologically. If we're at equal levels it wouldn't matter much since the distance would be too great to impact each other at this point. Kind of like Eurasia and the Americas a thousand years ago. If we did come in contact, it would likely be similar to other first contact situations. Though we may not be as subceptable to each other's diseases since the biology will probably be very different.

[@user-nj9ru4ef2w]

i thought i was watching a video on what if mars was covered in water. instead i watched a video on how to cover mars in water.

[@Rickyrab]

Possibly better idea: turn comets into spaceships. The ice would help protect against cosmic rays and if you could control the outgassing, you could make it more steerable.

[@WhatIfGiveaway.._]

☝️☝️☝️ Congratulations!! you have been selected among my shortlisted giveaway winner's. Text the above name on telegra 🎁🎉

[@AmazingGuy13]

Didn't they say nuking Mars would instead cause a nuclear winter?

[@OcarinaSapphr-]

A thought for a Halloween episode; *'What If we shared the planet with Vampires?'* What's the minimum/ maximum number of humans/ vampires that could be supported without collapse, a la 'Daybreakers'? How would society function if both had equal human (for lack of a better term) rights? Could vampires speed up human evolution, or slow it down? _Could_ it be a symbiotic existence, or the warfare usually shown? These are my late-night thoughts...

[@niggeshvijay4196]

Topic what if ihave 50 ocean in mars. But video how to make water to mars

[@yokingboii]

You learnt me more than my teachers!

[@WhatIfScienceShow]

Thank you, we appreciate your support!

[@yokingboii]

@@WhatIfScienceShow ❤

[@jacobsuda3643]

If only he could come to my school and be my science teacher

[@palakrajoria8112]

😮

[@a.greywolfe4056]

Or create vast mirrors to focus sunlight on the poles

[@WhatIfGiveaway.._]

☝️☝️☝️ Congratulations!! you have been selected among my shortlisted giveaway winner's. Text the above name on telegra 🎁🎉

[@avnishraj8573]

Sir pls continue what if Hindi

[@rss18810]

Hello

[@Nitroglycerin-0]

What if you split an atom?

[@fabriziobiancucci7702]

Nuke: ehy ehy ehy

[@P4G-1]

Bro I just a good story teller

[@WhatIfScienceShow]

Thank you!

[@SnowMan_360]

Wow cool

[@TheOrigamiGenius]

What if: We might have to nuke Mars Me: Elon Musk

[@OmakChanFe]

What if ceres was our moon? (replace with moon)

[@kwamepi1]

What if we go back to butter trading? What if we detonate tsar bomb in space?

[@e-caddy526]

what if .."what if" made a video about what if the channel "what if" never existed would we be able to live without the channel "what if" find out in the upcoming video of what if😂

[@lawrencerosin3100]

How about what if the Sun was actually made of fire?

[@ufcsfavoriteson445]

4:18 bro who are you paying?? the aliens???

[@Ronin47700]

Conclusion of your every video: Impossible

[@WhatIfGiveaway.._]

☝️☝️☝️ Congratulations!! you have been selected among my shortlisted giveaway winner's. Text the above name on telegra 🎁🎉

[@matthewfredericks25]

What if mars suddenly tripled in size

[@rufusgoldstein2655]

What about giving Mars a magnetic field

[@soniacookson3277]

The might have even been life on mars

[@Shu_shino]

What if we can adapt like a tardigrade and become invincible

[@WhatIfGiveaway.._]

☝️☝️☝️ Congratulations!! you have been selected among my shortlisted giveaway winner's. Text the above name on telegra 🎁🎉

[@ekoprasetiyo]

What if venus not have scorching hot cloud?

[@hearts3305]

It will take millions oh years.

[@Realfacts182]

What if speed of sound is faster than light

[@deronr7560]

What if Mars had life and some of those life forms came to Earth during the end of Mars

[@user-pf7sl7ko6s]

Earth

[@Masonto1204]

wow

[@rashidvalentine]

The only thing you can do is moving earth in mars’ orbit and mars in earth’s’ orbit.

[@Anooflet2891]

What if the earth had only 1 time zone?

[@alanmawson2187]

Is this possible no

[@ApeOW]

Even without water mars surface area is only the same as all continents on earths

[@WhatIfGiveaway.._]

☝️☝️☝️ Congratulations!! you have been selected among my shortlisted giveaway winner's. Text the above name on telegra 🎁🎉

[@ApeOW]

@@WhatIfGiveaway.._ go away

[@emersonjose4956]

Is there any other brazilian here? 😅

[@jaylenthomas3868]

god loves yall bro

[@CDLightt]

What if this channel still had interesting what if ideas?

[@DDlambchop43]

if you don't like it, don't watch it.

[@Realfacts182]

What if there is a life after death

[@thanosthecreator8982]

The 14% of mars oceans lost in space

[@Believer_124]

What if KZbin ban this channel for making without it happens? 😁😆

[@livingdelife7250]

Oh well bye-bye nukes. And we don't need no more. Sorry for Mars luck. I'm be a good ten years before we'd be able to go there if not longer

[@user-pf7sl7ko6s]

Future

[@provincialcityboy8485]

What if humanity try to increase the size of mars, just like earth.

[@Lone_fighter57]

Maybe Venus had life billion years ago?

[@ares.wrld17]

looks like MARS NEED SOME FREEDOM🇺🇸🇺🇸🦅🦅