Edwin Kite
@edwinkite.bsky.social
Resident at Astera Institute. Planetary science professor, U. Chicago. Mars terraforming, Early Mars, rocky exoplanets. https://sseh.uchicago.edu/
Reposted by Edwin Kite
New science is making the export of life into the universe possible, practical and perhaps inevitable
How to export life to Mars
A new science—applied astrobiology—is taking shape
econ.st
December 31, 2025 at 8:20 AM
New science is making the export of life into the universe possible, practical and perhaps inevitable
Reposted by Edwin Kite
The goal for space exploration should be a new golden rule linking the search for life elsewhere to the spread of life beyond the bounds of Earth
The future of space exploration depends on better biology
Rockets are great, but sewage treatment is what you need for the long haul
econ.st
January 1, 2026 at 10:40 AM
The goal for space exploration should be a new golden rule linking the search for life elsewhere to the spread of life beyond the bounds of Earth
Reposted by Edwin Kite
Martian cities could be built from ice | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti... 🧪
Martian cities could be built from ice
Astronauts could theoretically harness frozen water on the Red Planet to construct habitats and research stations, new analysis suggests
www.science.org
December 17, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Martian cities could be built from ice | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti... 🧪
Reposted by Edwin Kite
On marsterraforming.substack.com: "An open-source particle screening tool for Mars warming research"(also useful for modeling the effect of natural aerosols!) marsterraforming.substack.com/p/an-open-so.... Code: github.com/mars-terrafo.... Dashboard: mars-terraforming-research.github.io/TerraScreen/
An open-source particle screening tool for Mars warming research
Accelerating iteration on Mars-warming particle designs.
marsterraforming.substack.com
December 13, 2025 at 6:10 AM
On marsterraforming.substack.com: "An open-source particle screening tool for Mars warming research"(also useful for modeling the effect of natural aerosols!) marsterraforming.substack.com/p/an-open-so.... Code: github.com/mars-terrafo.... Dashboard: mars-terraforming-research.github.io/TerraScreen/
On marsterraforming.substack.com: "An open-source particle screening tool for Mars warming research"(also useful for modeling the effect of natural aerosols!) marsterraforming.substack.com/p/an-open-so.... Code: github.com/mars-terrafo.... Dashboard: mars-terraforming-research.github.io/TerraScreen/
An open-source particle screening tool for Mars warming research
Accelerating iteration on Mars-warming particle designs.
marsterraforming.substack.com
December 13, 2025 at 6:10 AM
On marsterraforming.substack.com: "An open-source particle screening tool for Mars warming research"(also useful for modeling the effect of natural aerosols!) marsterraforming.substack.com/p/an-open-so.... Code: github.com/mars-terrafo.... Dashboard: mars-terraforming-research.github.io/TerraScreen/
Reposted by Edwin Kite
New on marsterraforming.substack.com: "A Million Fireflies in the Martian Sky? On Warming Mars Using Solar Sails", by Ari Essunfeld. Based on work by Ari Essunfeld, Yuji Takubo, and Casey Handmer.
marsterraforming.substack.com/p/a-million-...
marsterraforming.substack.com/p/a-million-...
November 23, 2025 at 7:56 AM
New on marsterraforming.substack.com: "A Million Fireflies in the Martian Sky? On Warming Mars Using Solar Sails", by Ari Essunfeld. Based on work by Ari Essunfeld, Yuji Takubo, and Casey Handmer.
marsterraforming.substack.com/p/a-million-...
marsterraforming.substack.com/p/a-million-...
New on marsterraforming.substack.com: "A Million Fireflies in the Martian Sky? On Warming Mars Using Solar Sails", by Ari Essunfeld. Based on work by Ari Essunfeld, Yuji Takubo, and Casey Handmer.
marsterraforming.substack.com/p/a-million-...
marsterraforming.substack.com/p/a-million-...
November 23, 2025 at 7:56 AM
New on marsterraforming.substack.com: "A Million Fireflies in the Martian Sky? On Warming Mars Using Solar Sails", by Ari Essunfeld. Based on work by Ari Essunfeld, Yuji Takubo, and Casey Handmer.
marsterraforming.substack.com/p/a-million-...
marsterraforming.substack.com/p/a-million-...
Reposted by Edwin Kite
New paper alert!
Madison Turner et al., "Early thinning, late persistence, diachronous boundaries, and a regional dichotomy in Mars' young sedimentary rocks", Communications Earth and Environment: (open access link) www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Madison Turner et al., "Early thinning, late persistence, diachronous boundaries, and a regional dichotomy in Mars' young sedimentary rocks", Communications Earth and Environment: (open access link) www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Early thinning, late persistence, diachronous boundaries, and a regional dichotomy in Mars' young sedimentary rocks - Communications Earth & Environment
A global analysis of Martian remote sensing data identifies a decrease in sediment accumulation rate and layer thickness with age, suggesting a diachronous transition in sedimentation and a migratory ...
www.nature.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:13 AM
New paper alert!
Madison Turner et al., "Early thinning, late persistence, diachronous boundaries, and a regional dichotomy in Mars' young sedimentary rocks", Communications Earth and Environment: (open access link) www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Madison Turner et al., "Early thinning, late persistence, diachronous boundaries, and a regional dichotomy in Mars' young sedimentary rocks", Communications Earth and Environment: (open access link) www.nature.com/articles/s43...
New paper alert!
Madison Turner et al., "Early thinning, late persistence, diachronous boundaries, and a regional dichotomy in Mars' young sedimentary rocks", Communications Earth and Environment: (open access link) www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Madison Turner et al., "Early thinning, late persistence, diachronous boundaries, and a regional dichotomy in Mars' young sedimentary rocks", Communications Earth and Environment: (open access link) www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Early thinning, late persistence, diachronous boundaries, and a regional dichotomy in Mars' young sedimentary rocks - Communications Earth & Environment
A global analysis of Martian remote sensing data identifies a decrease in sediment accumulation rate and layer thickness with age, suggesting a diachronous transition in sedimentation and a migratory ...
www.nature.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:13 AM
New paper alert!
Madison Turner et al., "Early thinning, late persistence, diachronous boundaries, and a regional dichotomy in Mars' young sedimentary rocks", Communications Earth and Environment: (open access link) www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Madison Turner et al., "Early thinning, late persistence, diachronous boundaries, and a regional dichotomy in Mars' young sedimentary rocks", Communications Earth and Environment: (open access link) www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Reposted by Edwin Kite
An Introduction to Mars Terraforming, 2025 Workshop Summary
arxiv.org/abs/2510.07344
arxiv.org/abs/2510.07344
An Introduction to Mars Terraforming, 2025 Workshop Summary
Terraforming Mars is an age old science fiction concept now worth revisiting through the lens of modern science and technology. This document serves as a summary of contemporary ideas about Mars terra...
arxiv.org
October 10, 2025 at 2:13 AM
An Introduction to Mars Terraforming, 2025 Workshop Summary
arxiv.org/abs/2510.07344
arxiv.org/abs/2510.07344
Reposted by Edwin Kite
“If building space habitats is hard & machine technology is gradually developing more life-like capabilities, does this mean we humans might as well remain Earth-bound forever?”
— @rdword.bsky.social
#spacetravel #spaceexploration #rovers
— @rdword.bsky.social
#spacetravel #spaceexploration #rovers
The Future Of Space Is More Than Human | NOEMA
The time has come to expand our visions of life beyond Earth.
www.noemamag.com
October 30, 2025 at 5:41 PM
“If building space habitats is hard & machine technology is gradually developing more life-like capabilities, does this mean we humans might as well remain Earth-bound forever?”
— @rdword.bsky.social
#spacetravel #spaceexploration #rovers
— @rdword.bsky.social
#spacetravel #spaceexploration #rovers
An Introduction to Mars Terraforming, 2025 Workshop Summary
arxiv.org/abs/2510.07344
arxiv.org/abs/2510.07344
An Introduction to Mars Terraforming, 2025 Workshop Summary
Terraforming Mars is an age old science fiction concept now worth revisiting through the lens of modern science and technology. This document serves as a summary of contemporary ideas about Mars terra...
arxiv.org
October 10, 2025 at 2:13 AM
An Introduction to Mars Terraforming, 2025 Workshop Summary
arxiv.org/abs/2510.07344
arxiv.org/abs/2510.07344
Reposted by Edwin Kite
Check out this U. of Chicago podcast with Edwin Kite offering insights on climate and life on Mars, the Mars Sample Return mission, a transformative scaled up version of Ingenuity that can fly hundreds of kilometers, and more! @edwinkite.bsky.social
news.uchicago.edu/big-brains-p... 🧪🔭 #Mars
news.uchicago.edu/big-brains-p... 🧪🔭 #Mars
Life on Mars: Is it possible for humans? with Edwin Kite
Scientist examines how we could terraform Mars make the Red Planet habitable
news.uchicago.edu
September 19, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Check out this U. of Chicago podcast with Edwin Kite offering insights on climate and life on Mars, the Mars Sample Return mission, a transformative scaled up version of Ingenuity that can fly hundreds of kilometers, and more! @edwinkite.bsky.social
news.uchicago.edu/big-brains-p... 🧪🔭 #Mars
news.uchicago.edu/big-brains-p... 🧪🔭 #Mars
New paper alert!
Brandon Park Coy et al., "The Role of Tectonic Luck in Long-Term Habitability of Abiotic Earth-like Planets" (accepted by PSJ):
arxiv.org/abs/2507.23124
Brandon Park Coy et al., "The Role of Tectonic Luck in Long-Term Habitability of Abiotic Earth-like Planets" (accepted by PSJ):
arxiv.org/abs/2507.23124
The Role of Tectonic Luck in Long-Term Habitability of Abiotic Earth-like Planets
Carbonate-silicate weathering feedback is thought to stabilize Earth's climate on geologic timescales. If climate warms, faster mineral dissolution and increased rainfall speed up weathering, increasi...
arxiv.org
August 12, 2025 at 11:55 AM
New paper alert!
Brandon Park Coy et al., "The Role of Tectonic Luck in Long-Term Habitability of Abiotic Earth-like Planets" (accepted by PSJ):
arxiv.org/abs/2507.23124
Brandon Park Coy et al., "The Role of Tectonic Luck in Long-Term Habitability of Abiotic Earth-like Planets" (accepted by PSJ):
arxiv.org/abs/2507.23124
New paper: "Carbonate formation and fluctuating habitability on Mars", Nature, open access: rdcu.be/euuTb . Inspired by data from Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover
Carbonate formation and fluctuating habitability on Mars
Nature - A modelling study suggests that Mars had a desert-like climate with intermittent liquid-water oases regulated by a negative feedback among solar luminosity, liquid water and carbonate...
rdcu.be
July 3, 2025 at 7:01 AM
New paper: "Carbonate formation and fluctuating habitability on Mars", Nature, open access: rdcu.be/euuTb . Inspired by data from Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover
Reposted by Edwin Kite
Terraforming session @agu.org 2025 Fall Meeting: P008 - Creating sustainable habitats and ecosystems beyond Earth
To submit an abstract, please visit
agu.confex.com/agu/agu25/pr...
To submit an abstract, please visit
agu.confex.com/agu/agu25/pr...
July 1, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Terraforming session @agu.org 2025 Fall Meeting: P008 - Creating sustainable habitats and ecosystems beyond Earth
To submit an abstract, please visit
agu.confex.com/agu/agu25/pr...
To submit an abstract, please visit
agu.confex.com/agu/agu25/pr...
Terraforming session @agu.org 2025 Fall Meeting: P008 - Creating sustainable habitats and ecosystems beyond Earth
To submit an abstract, please visit
agu.confex.com/agu/agu25/pr...
To submit an abstract, please visit
agu.confex.com/agu/agu25/pr...
July 1, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Terraforming session @agu.org 2025 Fall Meeting: P008 - Creating sustainable habitats and ecosystems beyond Earth
To submit an abstract, please visit
agu.confex.com/agu/agu25/pr...
To submit an abstract, please visit
agu.confex.com/agu/agu25/pr...
Reposted by Edwin Kite
Today I and 11 other scientists describe in Nature Astronomy how recent breakthroughs in launch capabilities, climate, and synthetic biology demand a new assessment of the feasibility of terraforming Mars.
www.erikadebenedictis.com/s/The-case-f...
www.erikadebenedictis.com/s/The-case-f...
May 13, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Today I and 11 other scientists describe in Nature Astronomy how recent breakthroughs in launch capabilities, climate, and synthetic biology demand a new assessment of the feasibility of terraforming Mars.
www.erikadebenedictis.com/s/The-case-f...
www.erikadebenedictis.com/s/The-case-f...
Reposted by Edwin Kite
Heads up: terraforming Mars isn’t just sci-fi, it’s a real possibility that’s possible with today’s technology.
Mars could be green in MY lifetime. 🚀 🌼
What’s stopping us? We need a lot more real research into how to do it right. Don’t nuke Mars!
👇
Mars could be green in MY lifetime. 🚀 🌼
What’s stopping us? We need a lot more real research into how to do it right. Don’t nuke Mars!
👇
May 13, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Heads up: terraforming Mars isn’t just sci-fi, it’s a real possibility that’s possible with today’s technology.
Mars could be green in MY lifetime. 🚀 🌼
What’s stopping us? We need a lot more real research into how to do it right. Don’t nuke Mars!
👇
Mars could be green in MY lifetime. 🚀 🌼
What’s stopping us? We need a lot more real research into how to do it right. Don’t nuke Mars!
👇
Reposted by Edwin Kite
Big thanks to @edwinkite.bsky.social whose talk on prospects for terraforming Mars filled our conference room and elicited lively discussion.
May 12, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Big thanks to @edwinkite.bsky.social whose talk on prospects for terraforming Mars filled our conference room and elicited lively discussion.
Another video vision of terraformed Mars through the lens of Casey Handmer's Google Mars overlay: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du7j...
A vision of terraformed Mars through the lens of Casey Handmer's Google Mars overlay
YouTube video by edwinkite1
www.youtube.com
May 3, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Another video vision of terraformed Mars through the lens of Casey Handmer's Google Mars overlay: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du7j...
A video vision of terraformed Mars through the lens of Casey Handmer's Google Mars overlay: www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1lf...
A vision of terraformed Mars through the lens of Casey Handmer's Google Mars overlay
YouTube video by edwinkite1
www.youtube.com
May 3, 2025 at 4:17 PM
A video vision of terraformed Mars through the lens of Casey Handmer's Google Mars overlay: www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1lf...
Reposted by Edwin Kite
🧵1/3 New research by @climate.columbia.edu postdoc Kaitlyn Loftus, Yangcheng Luo, colleagues suggests extreme weather on exoplanet 55 Cancri e may be caused by lava cycle...like Earth’s water cycle, but with molten rock! Lava clouds form & decay in cycle that causes temps to swing by 2500°F in week.
May 1, 2025 at 1:21 PM
🧵1/3 New research by @climate.columbia.edu postdoc Kaitlyn Loftus, Yangcheng Luo, colleagues suggests extreme weather on exoplanet 55 Cancri e may be caused by lava cycle...like Earth’s water cycle, but with molten rock! Lava clouds form & decay in cycle that causes temps to swing by 2500°F in week.