Labels: text | screenshot | electronics OCR: As for the temperature on Mars, he said it was FIRST OBSERVATIONS low, but as temperate as that in southern THE CANALS OF MARS OBSERVATIONS England. He added that although the air was thin, OF SPACE PROBES there was enough oxygen to breathe. Contradictions Many observers, however, were skeptical about Lowell's conclusions. And Lowell's claims were, in part, refuted by Alfred Russel Wallace, a naturalist who played an important role in developing the theory of evolution. In 1907, at the age of 84, Wallace began revising Lowell's writings. Despite his age, Wallace's mind-and pen-were still sharp. He first demonstrated that Lowell's calculations regarding the Martian temperature were wrong. The temperature on Mars could hardly be compared with the temperate climes of southern England, because it was certainly below the freezing point. This meant of course that the planet's surface was frozen. Next, Wallace stated that the atmosphere was much thinner than Lowell estimated. And as for the famous canals, Wallace protested: MARS BETAT
(.png)
