Silica aerogel could heat the surface of Mars enough to sustain life
By 
Anthony King2019-07-15T16:07:00
Insulating material could replicate the effects of Earth’s atmosphere on the red planet, warming it by 50°C
Spreading a thin layer of silica aerogel over the surface of Mars could increase the temperature enough for crops to be grown, scientists in the US have shown using models of the Martian climate. They say this intervention could transform the planet’s surface within decades, rather than the centuries thought necessary for large-scale planetary modification.