With the rate at which our technology is evolving, coupled with the latest discoveries about possible life on Mars, it's time we learn the basic sciences needed for humans to survive on the Red Planet. Where's a good place to begin? How about the online course, "How to Survive on Mars: the Science Behind the Human Exploration of Mars," offered by Monash University in Australia.
First things first: it's free.
Developed by astrophysicist Jasmina Lazendic-Galloway and chemistry professor Tina Overton, the course will take about four weeks to complete, with three hours of classes each week to be taken online.
Participants will be faced with various tests where they will need to apply the basic sciences they've learned so far to explore possible ways of producing scarce resources on Mars such as water, oxygen, food and energy. And participants can't just rely on one way of thinking.
"Science is interdisciplinary, not just chemistry, not just astronomy, and not just physics. And on Mars, you will have to know a bit of everything," Lazendic-Galloway told Mashable.
According to Lazendic-Galloway, the course emerged from she and Overton's love of Andy Weir's bestselling novel, The Martian. If you haven't read it, you may be familiar with the film adaptation starring Matt Damon.
"We liked that the scientists were treated as problem solvers. Not like other space films with egos and aliens everywhere," she told Mashable.
If you're interested in being one such problem solver, classes begin on October 24.
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