How might humans evolve if we colonized Mars

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Even if human Martians are given protective space suits and sturdy underground shelters, [Martian] radiation is likely to still take its toll. As such, cancer rates on Mars are likely to be higher on Mars ….

“[M]aybe people on Mars will evolve new types of radiation protection. Maybe new pigments, new skin colours. Maybe that’s how we will get our little green men from science fiction, living on Mars,” [Professor of bioscience at Rice University Scott] Solomon remarked, half-jokingly.

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When we start thinking on longer timescales, perhaps even millennia upon millennia, this raises the question of whether a branch of Homo sapiens on Mars could evolve enough differences to be considered a separate sub-species or even species, like Homo sapiens martianus.

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