人们一直想知道我们是否可以改变火星的气候以使其适合人类居住，而我们可能比以往任何时候都更接近回答这个问题

火星是地球最近的两个邻居之一，与金星一样，是距离太阳第四远的行星。你可以很容易地在夜空中发现它，因为它像一个明亮的红点一样闪闪发光。

Mars, Earth's fourth neighbor from the Sun, has long captured the imagination of scientists and space enthusiasts alike. Its red, dusty surface and thin atmosphere have sparked curiosity about the possibility of terraforming the planet to make it habitable for humans. While the challenges are immense, recent research is uncovering innovative methods to warm Mars and pave the way for microbial life.

火星是地球距太阳的第四个邻居，长期以来一直吸引着科学家和太空爱好者的想象力。它红色、布满灰尘的表面和稀薄的大气层激发了人们对改造这颗行星以使其适合人类居住的可能性的好奇心。虽然挑战是巨大的，但最近的研究正在揭示加热火星并为微生物生命铺平道路的创新方法。

One of the biggest hurdles in terraforming Mars is raising its temperature to a level where liquid water can exist on the surface. Currently, Mars's average temperature hovers around -80 degrees Fahrenheit, making it too cold for water to remain in a liquid state. To overcome this challenge, researchers from Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Central Florida have proposed a novel solution: engineered dust particles.

改造火星的最大障碍之一是将其温度提高到表面可以存在液态水的水平。目前，火星的平均温度徘徊在-80华氏度左右，这使得水太冷而无法保持液态。为了克服这一挑战，西北大学、芝加哥大学和中佛罗里达大学的研究人员提出了一种新颖的解决方案：工程灰尘颗粒。

Their study, published in Science Advances, demonstrates that dust particles can be designed to warm Mars by more than 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). This increase in temperature would bring the planet's surface conditions closer to the range suitable for microbial life.

他们发表在《科学进展》上的研究表明，尘埃颗粒可以被设计成使火星温度升高 50 华氏度（10 摄氏度）以上。温度的升高将使地球的表面条件更接近适合微生物生命的范围。

The dust particles are engineered to be short rods, approximately 9 micrometers in length, which is comparable to the size of glitter particles. These rods are designed to block thermal infrared radiation and efficiently scatter sunlight to the surface. By enhancing Mars's natural greenhouse effect, these particles can warm the planet more effectively than even the best gases.

灰尘颗粒被设计成短棒，长度约为 9 微米，与闪光颗粒的大小相当。这些棒旨在阻挡热红外辐射并有效地将阳光散射到表面。通过增强火星的自然温室效应，这些颗粒可以比最好的气体更有效地使地球变暖。

Calculations show that if the particles are continuously released into Mars's atmosphere, they could raise the temperature by over 50 degrees Fahrenheit within a matter of months. To reverse the warming effect, the release of particles can be stopped, and the temperature would return to normal within a few years.

计算表明，如果这些粒子持续释放到火星大气层中，它们可能会在几个月内使火星温度升高超过 50 华氏度。为了扭转变暖效应，可以停止颗粒物的释放，并且温度将在几年内恢复正常。

While the dust particles themselves are rich in aluminum and iron, they surprisingly do not warm the planet on their own. Instead, the size and composition of the particles determine whether they heat or cool the surface. In the case of natural dust on Mars, the particles are too large and efficiently reflect sunlight away from the planet, ultimately cooling the surface.

虽然尘埃颗粒本身富含铝和铁，但令人惊讶的是，它们本身并没有使地球变暖。相反，颗粒的大小和成分决定了它们是否加热或冷却表面。就火星上的自然尘埃而言，颗粒太大，会有效地将阳光反射离开行星，最终冷却表面。

The engineered dust particles, on the other hand, are designed to be smaller and have a different shape, allowing them to trap heat more effectively. This property makes them ideal for gradually warming Mars and creating a more hospitable environment for microbial life.

另一方面，工程灰尘颗粒被设计得更小并且具有不同的形状，使它们能够更有效地捕获热量。这种特性使它们成为逐渐变暖火星并为微生物生命创造更适宜环境的理想选择。

The study's corresponding author, Edwin Kite, an associate professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago (UIC), highlights the significance of the findings: “This suggests that the barrier to warming Mars to allow liquid water is not as high as previously thought.”

该研究的通讯作者、芝加哥大学 (UIC) 地球物理科学副教授埃德温·凯特 (Edwin Kite) 强调了这一发现的重要性：“这表明火星变暖导致液态水存在的障碍并不像之前认为的那么高”。

However, it's important to note that the focus of this study is on warming Mars to a level suitable for microbial life, not to make it breathable for humans. While this research marks a significant step towards terraforming the Red Planet, there's still a long way to go before humans can set foot on a habitable Mars.

然而，需要注意的是，这项研究的重点是将火星升温至适合微生物生存的水平，而不是使其适合人类呼吸。虽然这项研究标志着向改造这颗红色星球迈出了重要一步，但距离人类踏上适宜居住的火星还有很长的路要走。

Nevertheless, the innovative terraforming ideas being explored by scientists are narrowing the gap between Mars's current state of habitability and where we believe it could be. With each new discovery and technological advancement, we come closer to realizing the long-held dream of establishing a sustainable human presence on Mars.

尽管如此，科学家们正在探索的创新地球化想法正在缩小火星目前的宜居状态与我们认为的可能状态之间的差距。随着每一项新发现和技术进步，我们距离实现人类在火星上建立可持续存在的长期梦想又近了一步。