MARS AND ITS PEOPLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6728, 24 February 1900, Page 1

MARS AND ITS PEOPLE.

A Professor who says the PlMi«t 1» " Inhabited. "Is Mars inhabited?" has been asked very often during recent years, and has en.*: gaged the serious attention of many astronomers, and especially of M. CamiUe Flam* marion, a noted French scientist and aU' thor. Some new light is now thrown on thji subject by Professor Ernst Haeokel,,.**^ eminent German philosopher, in a bp4k W-' titled "World Problems." After pointing out that men have been studying the heavens for more than forty-five hundred year?,; and have only been studying themselves for the last half century, he says we may safely assume that the many fixed stare/ whose light requires .thousands of yearß tp reach us, are suns, and are surrounded by planets and worlds similar to those which,' we know. We may also assume', he holds, that thousands of these planets have arrived at the SAME STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT as our world, and it naturally follows that on them the same conditions of life prevail as on this earth, and there is no valid reason; why human beings should not live there aa they do here. Professor Haeckel takes care to explain that- there are doubtless many planets the temperature of which is such that life, as we understand the term, cannot be sustained on them. He thinks it very probable that there are types of animals and plants; on some planets which are not to be found on this earth. According to him, it is very likely that the biogenetic process exists on Mais, Venus, and possibly some other planets of our system, as well as on planets of other solar systems, but it is even more probable that ariimalß and plants on these planets have reached a higher stage of development than has been reached by animals and plants on this earth. If we assume that Mars is inhabited—* and Professor Haeckel seems pretty welj satisfied that it is — we must assume, he holds, that the men and women whose homa is on the planet are not euch as we, bui of A FAR HIGHER TYPE. They may resemble us exteriorly, but they are free from mar physical defects, and excel us in strength and gracefulness. It is in the intellectual sphere, however, that their superiority is most clearly shown. I| there are human beings on these planets, says Professor Haeckel, it is extremely pro* bable that they far surpass ordinary meal and women in intelligence. Another question often asked is, " Shall we ever be able to communicate with th« inhabitants of distant planets?" Professor Haeckel's reply is that there is very little probability of any direct communication i . „;- being established. His reasons axe be* euusa the earth is such a great dkt&ueefroitt Mars and other planets, and because . the condition of the air between the earth, and these planets is such as to render direct comimmication by any means at present known to us impossible.