But despite decades of exploration, billions of dollars and untold man hours, scientifically, Mars remains almost as mysterious as it was when NASA’s Viking lander first touched down in 1976. It’s true that other deserving bodies in the solar system may have been somewhat neglected in favor of Mars, as most planetary scientists will readily admit. So, instead of shying away from spending more on exploration of just our inner solar system, Mars included, we need to up the ante. Let’s hope that we can soon get back to questioning our place in the solar system without being hamstrung by this invisible enemy. And when we do, rest assured, a comprehensive scientific understanding of Mars and our neighboring planets will require many more decades and dollars.

Source: Forbes August 15, 2020 07:52 UTC