ABSTRACT
The project of colonizing Mars poses significant challenges, not least the fact that humans are not well adapted to the Martian environment. This study aims to explore the physical possibility and moral implications of adapting humans to Martian conditions using bioengineering tools. Specifically, pantropy, a concept taken from science fiction, is a hypothetical process in which humans are modified (for example, through genetic engineering or cybernetic implants) to be able to tolerate alien environments. This chapter focuses on why unmodified humans are unfit for the Martian environment, even with significant investments in environmental support systems; how bioengineered humans may fare better; and the ethical concerns of bioengineering human life for this purpose.
