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Space Station Info >> Canals Mars
Mars plays a vital place in human
imagination due to the faith that life exists on Mars. These
beliefs are primarily owing to observations by many in the
19th century popularized by
Percival Lowell and Giovanni
Schiaparelli. Schiaparelli called these observed features
canali, meaning channels in Italian. This was usually mistranslated
as 'canals', and the myth of the Martian canals began.
They
were apparently artificial linear features on the surface
that were asserted to be canals, and due to seasonal
changes in the brightness of some areas that were thought
to be caused by vegetation growth. This gave rise to
many stories regarding Martians.
The linear features are now known to be typically non-existent
or, in some cases, dry ancient watercourses.
The color changes have been recognized to dust storms.
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